St Peter's Church, Bournemouth

St Peter's was built over a period of twenty-four years from 1855 at the instigation of the first vicar of Bournemouth, the Reverend Alexander Morden Bennett, to replace an earlier building. G. E. Street was commissioned to create a finer church to match the beauty of the town. It was the founding church of Bournemouth and was constructed between 1854 and 1879 on the foundations of the 1840s predecessor. G. E. Street later designed the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand in London. The 202 ft tower and spire is a landmark across the town centre and beyond. It has unusual paintings, notable stained glass and alabaster. The church has a footprint of nearly 1200m². The building…

The first organ in St Peter's was built for the opening of the previous 'Mock-Gothic' building of 1845. It was built by a Mr. J. Duncan of Poole, who was also the first organist. As Street's work began to replace the old building from 1855, this instrument was moved about, first from its west gallery to the new north aisle in 1856, then into the north-east transept soon after 1864 when the east end was completed. In this last position, with the majority of the new church complete, the organ was found to be 'nearly worn out' and of 'insufficient power'. As a temporary measure, a second-hand instrument was bought from Vauxhall Gardens in London, probably in 1865. This had been built by Bates…

The choir now comprises up to sixteen girl choristers aged between nine and eighteen, and nine professional lay clerks, who provide the music for the Eucharist on most Sundays and on principal feasts. The choir has sung as a visiting choir at a number of British cathedrals and major churches and occasionally makes recordings. There is also an adult parish choir which sings for one Sunday per month. The choir rehearses in the song school, a purpose-built barrel-roofed space with piano, stalls, music and robing storage, and office. The song school was built in 1914 as part of the north-east extension of the church - the space in the north-east transept formerly occupied by the choir's vestry…