Historic churches · South West England
Parish Church of Saint Peter
In or near Church Knowle.
Parish Church of Saint Peter — church in Church Knowle, Dorset, England, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Norden · 1.8 km
- Free entry
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit the Parish Church of Saint Peter, the nearest railway station is Norden, located 1.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is BH20 5NF, and entry to the church is free.
About
Parish Church of Saint Peter is a parish church in South-East England. Officially recognised as Grade II* listed building. The site is within the Dorset National Landscape (AONB), and is part of the PURBECK HEATHS National Nature Reserve. The nearest railway station is Norden, about 1.8 km away.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2024
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
Details CHURCH KNOWLE CHURCH KNOWLE VILLAGE SY 9481 13/34 Parish Church of Saint Peter - 20.11.59 II* Anglican Parish Church. C13 origin, of cruciform plan. Tower and porch added in C14, upper part of tower rebuilt in C18, north aisle added c.1833. Rubble stone walls, stone slate roofs with coped gables. Nave, chancel, north and south transepts, north aisle, west tower, south porch. Tower, unbuttressed, of 3 stages, has pyramidal stone-slated cap. Plain rectangular windows in each stage, with stone louvres in upper stages. Doorway in north wall. Date Stone "1741, I C and E C, Churchwardens" on south wall. In west wall, reset stone with inscription (see also Church Farm House). South porch has plain 2-centred arched doorway. South transept has, in east and south walls, 2-light C13 windows with roundel over. South wall of nave has 2 plain lancet windows, deepened in early C19. South wall of chancel has priest's door. One C13 2-light window with quatrefoil over moulded. Also a C14 3-light square-headed window. East window of chancel, C13, as that in south wall. 2 similar windows in north wall. North wall of north transept has Cl3 window, matching those in south transept. North aisle wall has 2 paired lancet windows. Internally, aisle divided from nave by 2 timber columns supporting nave roof and gallery - this continued across west wall. Trusses of nave roof of tie beam and queen post form, c.1833. Chancel arch, C13 flanked by lower arches - originally, altar recesses. Traces of medieval floral painting. In chancel, C13 windows have rere-arches. Squints to transepts cut through window jambs. Piscina in south wall. South transept has piscina, and stone altar slab on C19 timber base. C18 monument on west wall. Broken stone coffin slabs on window cill. On east wall of north t
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: South Dorset Coast SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: PURBECK HEATHS
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Dorset
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
The Parish Church of Saint Peter is a Grade II* listed church located in South-East England. It is situated within designated areas of significant ecological and aesthetic value, including the South Dorset Coast SSSI, Purbeck Heaths NNR, and the Dorset AONB.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 50.6371, -2.0851
- District
- Dorset
- Parish
- Church Knowle
- Postcode
- BH20 5NF
- Parliamentary constituency
- South Dorset
- Nearest railway station
- Norden — 1.8 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q17540945 (CC0)
- commons: 2010-04-07-Church Knowle, St Peter's Church.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

Church Farm Campsite
Campsites · 0.1 km

Church Knowle
Towns & cities · 0.2 km

Knowle Hill
Mountains & hills · 0.4 km

West Hill
Mountains & hills · 0.8 km

Corfe Castle Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Campsites · 0.9 km

Bucknowle Farm campsite
Campsites · 1.0 km

The Creech Barrow Seven
Memorials & monuments · 1.0 km

Barnston Manor
Stately homes · 1.1 km

Norden Farm
Campsites · 1.1 km

East Creech Farm Campsite
Campsites · 1.2 km

Bucknowle Farm
Hill forts · 1.4 km
Stonehill Down Nature Reserve
Parks · 1.4 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Parish Church of Saint Peter?
- Parish Church of Saint Peter is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BH20 5NF), in the parish of Church Knowle.
- What is Parish Church of Saint Peter?
- Parish Church of Saint Peter — church in Church Knowle, Dorset, England, UK.
- How do I get to Parish Church of Saint Peter?
- The nearest railway station is Norden, about 1.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode BH20 5NF.
- Is Parish Church of Saint Peter a listed building?
- Parish Church of Saint Peter is officially recognised as Grade II* listed building listed.
- Is Parish Church of Saint Peter a protected site?
- Yes — Parish Church of Saint Peter is part of the South Dorset Coast SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the PURBECK HEATHS National Nature Reserve.
- Is Parish Church of Saint Peter free to visit?
- Yes, Parish Church of Saint Peter is free to enter.
- How do I get to Parish Church of Saint Peter?
- The nearest railway station is Norden, about 1.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BH20 5NF.