St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Mansfield

St Peter and St Paul’s Church stands in Mansfield town centre, a Church of England parish church with a Norman core. The church, its war memorial and the railings to the south are recognised for special architectural interest. First mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the building has grown through the centuries alongside the town. A fire in 1304 destroyed most of the structure, yet it was rebuilt by 1420. The tower was raised in the 14th century and a steeple added in the 16th. The church’s history includes royal links and notable figures. William II transferred the church to the Bishop of Lincoln in 1096. In 1557 Mary I and Philip granted a charter allowing the church to hold land. George Fox, founder of the Quakers, lived in Mansfield in 1647 and recorded a spiritual experience beside the steeplehouse. A 900-year celebration in 2013 marked evidence that the original tower was completed by December 1113. Inside, visitors find an eight-bell tower with bells cast in 1948. The three-manual organ, installed in 1971, came from Clare College, Cambridge, and was enlarged by Noel Mander. The south chapel houses the organ, further restored and re-consecrated at the end of 2000. The nave and chancel, rebuilt in the 12th century, remain central to the church’s worship and heritage.