St Peter's Collegiate Church

in the south porch summarises the history of the church.]] cross, attributed to the 9th century, to the south of the church. Although often said to belong to an early Mercian monastery on the site, there is no evidence of such a building. The cross is as likely to have been a preaching cross from the period before the church existed.]] ]] St Peter's is an Anglo-Saxon foundation. The history of St Peter's was dominated for centuries by its collegiate status, from the 12th century constituted as a dean and prebendaries, and by its royal connections, which were crystallised in the form of the royal peculiar in 1480. Although a source of pride and prosperity to both town and church, this…

St Peter's Church is built of red sandstone on an elevated site in the centre of the City of Wolverhampton. The oldest part of the building above ground is the crossing under the tower, which probably dates from the beginnings of the abbey in 1200, followed by the Chapel of Our Lady and St George (Lady Chapel). Much of the church was rebuilt and extended in the fourteenth century, in the Decorated Style. However, the church was to be substantially altered in the middle of the fifteenth century at the expense of the town's wool merchants, with the addition of a clerestory to the nave, and reduction in height of the north and south aisles. The upper part of the tower was rebuilt around 1475…

The next dean was Theodosius de Camilla, an Italian cleric related to the powerful Fieschi family of Genoa, and a cousin of Pope Adrian V. He was appointed on 10 January 1269, following Erdington's death. As early as 1218, It was roundly asserted at Lichfield Assizes that "the Church and Deanery of Wuvlrenehamtum is of the King's gift. Giles de Ardington holds it by gift of the present King." However, in 1252, after Henry de Hastings perished in the Seventh Crusade, it was made clear that he had held the advowson of Wolverhampton deanery. Although the king was keen to assert his right, it seems likely that he was willing to sell or rent it if the need was great enough. However, the…