Walk round guide - interior
Guide of the Interior, for your Mobile v.0.1
This guide is designed to be viewed on a mobile phone whilst walking around the church. The mobile signal inside the church is not the best so you are advised to scan the upper QR code on the note in the porch and then wait for the entire guide to load. If the weather is suitable, a faster load will probably be available from standing just outside the porch. This is because of the thick stone walls to the building which was designed a bit before mobile phones were invented.
This guide is free to use. However if you would like to make a donation there are both electronic and physical points within the church where you can.
Brief history
People have been in and around Market Bosworth's open wooded hilltop for more than six thousand years. There is archaeological evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age occupations and a Roman villa has been found situated north of the current centre.
The name Bosworth could be a derivation from the Saxon farmer who lived on and around Silk Hill, Bosá's farmstead. In Domesday of 1086 the manor had both a priest and a deacon so there must have been a Saxon church here. At this time it was located in the centre of the settlement on St Anne's Hill, about a quarter of a mile to the north. The town expanded and the centre moved, initially to where Park Street is now, the road that passes to the south of the church.
There has been a church on this site since about 1130, the first documentary evidence mentioning this is from 1160. This was a Norman building which probably consisted of a nave and chancel which were thatched, with a probable tower at the Western end, probably a similar footprint of today’s tower, nave and chancel. The interior of the church would probably have been plastered and covered in wall paintings representing biblical stories.
The naming of the village as Market Bosworth stems from the market charter granted by Edward I in 1285, transforming Bosworth into a Market town, although a market, a central point for the area for the sale of goods and food, probably existed here long before then.
The church must have been quite substantial as taxation records from 1291 make this the second richest parish in Leicestershire.
The current church, standing 130 metres above sea level, dates initially from about 1325 and again it consisted of a nave, chancel and tower. The aisles were added later in the 14th century and the clerestory in about 1390, the church substantially as we see it today. At this time the spire was built, 41.45 metres high, a landmark for many miles around. The tower houses 8 bells, dating from about 1580.
There were only minor changes until the 19th century when two phases of restoration, one mid 19th century and the other in the 1890s rescued for church from collapse. At that time the stonework was repaired, the chancel was extensively remodelled, the organ installed, a new pulpit made leaving the church substantially as you see it today.
There have been smaller later modifications, including memorials to the fallen of two world wars, adaptations for younger people and more repairs.
The church is Grade II* listed which makes it in the top five percent listed buildings in the country.
Following the tour will show you most of these.
The porch and studded door
The porch is a Victorian rebuild of a previous porch originally built in the 15th or 16th century, the studded door being the main entrance to the church prior to the porch being built.
You will need to twist the handle, which is about head height, anticlockwise until you hear a click, and then push. The church is quite dark, so you will have to be careful as your eyes need to become adjusted from bright daylight outside.
Go to the middle of the Nave by the Font
If first you walk to the middle of the nave by the font, you will be able to see the whole extent of the church. The image below is taken from by the font and shows the altar dressed for Advent in 2025.
Looking Around
From here, just look around. If you are facing east towards the altar, the font and the tower will be behind you. To your left through the arcade, that's the arches, is the north aisle and to your right the south aisle. We'll take a tour showing you all the features of the church illustrated with close-up photographs.
Above you is the roof of the nave the light coming from the windows in the clerestory (pronounced clear-story). That was the last portion of the church to be built. The roof was repaired and replaced in the late 19th century.
East wall of Nave
As well as having two windows, there are the Ten Commandments boards and the lamb and flag decoration. Alongside the windows some of the Victorian rebuilding is obvious with different stonework and different mortar joints..
Lamb and flag
On the east wall of the nave, just above the chancel arch. Is a painting, thought to have been hung at the end of the nineteenth century, of the "Lamb and Flag".
In the Book of Revelation, the "lamb and flag" imagery symbolises Jesus Christ as the "Lamb of God" who conquered death and sin, often depicted holding a flag of victory, representing His triumph over evil. The symbol is also known as the Agnus Dei.
It is claimed there are (or were) fourteen pubs named Lamb and Flag in the UK.
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, from Exodus chapter 20, are a foundational basis for belief and morality in Judaism and Christianity, forming core ethical and religious principles, though interpretations and emphasis vary; they guide the relationship with God (first four) and fellow humans (last six), influencing laws and daily life, even as their specific relevance is debated in secular society.
These boards replaced those seen in the 1847 drawing.
Stained glass above chancel
When the east wall of the nave was rebuilt in the late nineteenth century the windows were replaced woth the current stained glass.
Pews
The pew seating in the church all dates from 1844, renovated in 1895. Two pews still retain original gates.
Font
The font is fourteenth century, hexagonal, sitting an older base.
West - tower and roof mark
How do we know the church was originally thatched? It comes from the angle of the roof. Thatch needs to be at an angle between 50 and 55 degrees from the horizontal, otherwise it lets water through rather than shedding it. The marks on the wall show an angle of at least 50 degrees from horizontal. Thatch drains by dripping to the ground, so when the north and south aisles were built the thatch would have been replaced by tile, and gutters and drains from the side aisle roofs would have been necessary.
West - tower window
If you look through the window above the door in the tower, the stained glass window in the tower is visible.
North west corner Nave carving - bearded male
Still facing west, look up and near the junction of the first arcade column and the tower there's this label stop. It could be a portrait of one of the benefactors of the church.
South west corner nave carving - young woman
In the opposite corner at the same height, this individual had a headwear style dated to 1275-1330. After 1327 fashions changed markedly with the arrival of Phillipa of Hainault, wife of Edward III, and carvings would represent then current fashions.
Edward III (13 November 1312 - 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He took the throne after his father, Edward II was deposed. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after the disastrous and unorthodox reign of his father, Edward II. Edward III transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe. His fifty-year reign is one of the longest in English history, and saw vital developments in legislation and government, in particular the evolution of the English Parliament, as well as the ravages of the Black Death. He outlived his eldest son, Edward the Black Prince, and was succeeded by his grandson, Richard II.
Angel corbels
In the late nineteenth century restorations the roof was extensively renewed and included the installation of sculpted Angel corbels. A corbel is a structure that supports roof beams. There are ten, the westernmost pair looking up the nave, the rest looking down. They are all different, individually sculpted.
Window shape
The window style of the westernmost window of the north clerestory poses some questions, not the least being 'why?'.
The clerestory (pronounced clear-story) of about 1390 has, for seven of its eight windows, the pointed gothic style. The eighth, in the north west corner, is square headed, a later style. There is no obvious repair visible, either from inside or outside. The spite had been damaged by storm on more than one occasion and has had bits fall off, but the lack of repair evidence seems to make this unlikely. The original medival carvings outside on the headstop appear original.
What could have happened is that during the build, a replacement needed to be sourced. Stone masons after the Black Death of 1348-50 moved their centres of operations from quarries to stoneyards, and it may have been that this type of window was the only one readily available. It could have been similar to visiting the B&Q of the late medieval period.
Stained glass in clerestory
The stained glass windows in the clerestory are all very similar.
Church model
This model was constructed in the 1980s by former Secretary and Treasurer of the PCC, Churchwarden and long-term choir member, John Gladman.
Throughout his life John had been keen on model making. He completed this model of St. Peter's in 1983. It was accurate in every detail, even to the steps to the stoke hole, which, after conversion to gas heating, no longer exists. John's family kindly donated the model to St. Peter's after John's death, age 84, in 2004.
Timeline in north aisle
1221 - Earliest known chaplain
1325 - The nave, north aisle and chancel date from this time
1375 - Sir Thomas Harcourt, then Lord of the Manor, enlarged the church, adding a tower and south aisle. Later work added a celerestory.
1485 - By the tme of the Battle of Bosworth a steeple had been added, becoming a local landmark.
1534 - The English Reformation, when Henry VIII broke from Rome, in 1538 Thomas Cranmer's English translation of the bible was installed in all churches, and it was then that Parish Registeres were introduced.
1567 - The Parish Chest was constructed
1575 - The oldest surviving silver communion plate dates from this time. It is no longer stored in the church.
1580s - Bells are added to the tower.
1618 - William Pelsant inscribed his signature on the top the parish chest
1642 - English Civil War begins.
1660 - Second baronet Sir Beaumont Dixie donated a bell to mark the restoration of Charles II.
1719 - Monument to Rector John Dixie erected in the chancel
1793 - A new turret clock, by Samuel Deacon of Barton in the Beans, installed.
1800s - Angel corbels installed.
1847 - Sebastian Evans drew features of the church which document how it then looked.
1850 - Hatchment above the north door commemorates the eighth baronet, the last of the family to be interred in the family vault in the north aisle
1856 - The stained glass window in the south aisle was installed in memory of Arthur Benoni Evans, who had been headmaster of the Dixie Grammar School for twenty six years.
1857 - Sir Alexander Dixie ninth baronet, who had served at the Battle of Trafalgar, buried in churchyard.
1875 - New clock mechanism installed.
1893 - New organ, built by Porrit of Leicester, installed. Two stained glass windows by Kempe also installed.
1922 - Reredos behind south altar table installed in commemoration of those who fought in the First World War, and in memory of those who died in the conflict.
1950 - Bells restored and added to, making a peal of eight.
1999 - As part of a millennium funded project, a new choir vestry was built, along with modifications to add kitchen facilities to the west end of the north aisle.
2015 - Richard III funeral procession passed the church, the first time a monarch had visited Market Bosworth.
The westernmost pillar of the arcade
While you are here, have a look at the marks on the pillar at the western end of the north aisle. There are grooves. These practice have been attributed to archer's sharpening arrows for practice, which was compulsory after church fr some centuries. An alternative suggestion is the sharpening of weapons of war by soldiers on the way to the Battle of Bosworth. These are very unlikely scenarios.
Firstly, when practising at the butts, archers used blunt arrows because sharp arrows would damage the targets too much.
Secondly, Richard III's soldiers coming to fight at the battle of Bosworth wouldn't come anywhere near here. They'd have gone via Sutton Cheney which is about three miles away.
You you need a much harder stone than the sandy limestone that this church is built from. Archers and soldiers carried whetstones, as you couldn't guarantee having a church handy when you needed to fight, and certainly churches aren't that portable.
What made marks of this type is uncertain, but the myths remain.
Singer carving in north aisle
Up in the junction of the north isle and the tower is a label stop carving. Hopefully it is light enough for you to sable to see it.
It is suggested that this is a singer. Whether this is a reference to a beautiful or a foghorn voice is not established, as both would have been the subject of carvings at the time. If the latter, then by the time it was unveiled as part of the structure of the building then it would have been too late to change.
Previous musicians/singers gallery
The upper floor of the previous singers gallery as noted in the Sebastian Evans 1847 drawing would have been around the level of the top of the current cupboards. Prior to this drawing there would the been the remains of an organ that was defunct from about 1750. In 1811 it was described as "A small, but neat gallery, for the singers at the West end, is disgraced by the remains of a paltry organ, which has been for more than 50 years in disuse." (Nichols, 1811, p.500)
North door
The family from the Hall used the north door to access the church, as they couldn't be seen mixing with the ordinary townspeople.
Dixie Hatchment
The hatchment over the door is that of Sir Willoughby Wolstan Dixie, the 8th Baronet, who died in 1850. The hatchment would have been hung on the door of the Hall for a year after his death before being removed to the church. A hatchment is a large tablet, typically diamond-shaped, bearing the coat of arms of someone who has died, displayed in their honour. The text is "Quod dixi dixi, resurgam" which translates to "What I have said, I have said; I shall rise again." Was this chosen to be a play on the Dixie family name?
Dixie memorials
The memorials on the north wall mainly commemorate members of the Dixie family who lived at Bosworth Hall from 1567 to 1885. The Dixie charge (emblem) of a snow leopard is on the wall.
Parish chest
The oak parish chest is mediaeval. It was used to store the church plate and records, the earliest registers found here dated from 1567, a few years after Henry VIII decreed that parishes should keep such records. The oldest plate was from 1575. Examine the lid for the youthful signature of William Pelsant, dating from 1618. He later became a Church Warden.
North aisle window
The stained glass window at the east end of the north aisle depicts the adoration of the shepherds.
Children's altar
The North Aisle Altar was consecrated in 1960 as a Children's Altar.
The colourful Altar Hanging was made by congregation members and was dedicated in 2005.
St Nicholas
St Nicholas (270-343), Bishop of Myra, which is now in Antalya Province, Turkey. Patron saint of children, coopers, travellers, sailors, fishermen, merchants, toymakers, broadcasters, repentant thieves, brewers, pharmacists, archers, the falsely accused, pawnbrokers, unmarried people.
Male Facial Carving
If you look above the altar where the last pillar of the nave is close to the roof of the north aisle there is a male facial carving. Whether this is of the family of the benefactors of the church is unknown, but it is a possibility
Rood stair
The rood was a large crucifix, often with figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John (Baptist), positioned prominently at the chancel arch of a medieval church. The gospel was sometimes proclaimed from the rood loft, a gallery built above the rood screen, particularly during significant liturgical events like Holy Week. Access was from the rood stair. Nothing is known of the medieval rood screen as most original rood works were destroyed during the Reformation.
Move to nave
For the next phase of the suggested tour, please move to the nave past the pulpit. Please be careful as the way is narrow with slopes and small steps.
At the moment
Rood stair exit
The exit to the former rood has been closed, just visible in the stonework.
Pulpit
The pulpit of 1895, which sits on its base of Ancaster limestone, was made after the removal of the enclosed family pew. This was the gift of Mary Bowers, mother of Rector Percy Bowers, in 1895. Originally there were four carved figures around the pulpit of four saints (Elijah, St John Baptist, Moses, St Peter) but only St John Baptist remains.
Before the present pulpit there was a family pew in this position. This illustration is a detail from the 1847 drawing situated by the door.
Two medieval female carvings
Two more carvings, female, one of which looks older than the other. This lends evidence to the thought that the carved figures are all part of the benefactors family. One has a more elaborate headdress than the other, which is a simple wimple, but without the neck wrapping.
Two structures in the roof
The structures in the roof - no one has yet discovered what they are for. Could they be the remnants of a former rood screen?
Current rood screen
The oak rood screen [between the Nave and the Chancel] dates from 1895. This was the gift of Mary Bowers, mother of Rector Percy Bowers, in 1895.
Owls
A pair of carved owls are the guardians of the chancel.
Flanking the crucifix above are a pair of angels.
Lectern of 1895 with four saints
The column supporting the reading desk is carved with images of the gospel writers. Each has, by tradition, an accompanying figure. Nestling at their feet, Matthew is portrayed with an angel, Mark with a lion, Luke with an ox, and John with an eagle.
Chancel floor mosaic
Of about 16,000 listed churches in England, only bout fifty make mention of a mosaic in the chancel, and of these many are of larker marble pieces, as the altar steps and the altar in the south aisle. The use of tesserae, small pieces of glazed fired clay, is more uncommon. The symbolism here is twofold. The intertwined IHS is a Christogram - a monogram representing the name of Jesus Christ—formed by blending the letters I, H, and S. Originating as the first three Greek letters of "Jesus" (ιησους), it is often interpreted as a Latin abbreviation for Iesus Hominum Salvator ("Jesus, Savior of Men"). The fleur-de-lis is a stylised lily that represents the Virgin Mary’s purity, chastity, and her role as Queen of Heaven,
Chancel rubble walls
The Chancel has markedly rougher walls, once plastered over and probably painted and will illustrations of theological teaching for the majority of the population who could not read, in contrast to the dressed stone walls of the nave.
Organ
The organ, built by Porrits of Leicester in 1893. The inscription, "A.M.D.G. The gift of the parishioners and friends of Market Bosworth. A.D. 1893". A.M.D.G. which is shorthand for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, translates as "To the Greater Glory of God”.
The organ was completely rebuilt with some digital components in 2018 - the only thing remaining of the 1893 organ is the case.
Blocked doorway
When this organ was installed the priest's door on the south of the chancel was blocked up by brick inside. The original door remains visible from outside The window above is mainly obscured by the organ.
Dixie tomb
The tomb of John Dixie, Rector, 1685 to 1719. He had lavishly rebuilt the Parsonage in the 1690s, covering an area almost from the church itself to what is now Park Street. On the wall by the tomb the weeping lady is Margaret, John's sister. She erected the monument, as a tribute to her brother.
Dixie stained glass
The window above the tomb dates from 1846, and is in memory of the Revd. Alexander Dixie, Rector 1842-1846, who died of typhus at the age of 28. The memorial between this and the other North Window is to Thomas Wright who was Rector for 52 years from 1788.
The depiction is the tetramorph, Christ in the centre, here holding a chalice, with the four gospel writers surrounding Him.
Matthew is upper left with a writing desk and an angel, Mark is upper right and appears to be resting his ledger on the lion’s head. Luke is lower left resting his ledger on the head of the ox with wings. John is lower right with a wrong desk, looking heavenwards for inspiration, his eagle is being useful by holding the inkpot.
Sanctuary floor mosaic
Much of the sanctuary floor mosaic is covered by carpet. To the north of the altar are the words "Sanctus, Sanctus, `Sanctus". (Holy, holy, holy).
On the south side is a unique Victorian typo, the Latin of which is grammatically incorrect.
Cedilla
Piscina
The piscina (pronounced pee-SEE-nah) is a shallow basin for washing communion vessels.
South window
Altar
Reredos
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East window
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Statuary in niches by altar
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Roof bosses
Concrete roof boss
Back to chancel step
Note pew with door
The pew seating in the church all dates from 1844, renovated in 1895. Two pews still retain original gates.
South aisle
Hagioscope
Altar
South aisle Piscina
Commemoration
Window
Kempe Window in the south aisle
Dated renovation on beam
Absence of carving
To door
Drawings
Heating
Rectors
Final medieval mugshot
Tower carvings
Inside the tower, not visible from the nave, is another carving. It is at the apex of the vaulting and could be another family portrait.
Bells
The Font
This guide used material from the original printed guide written by former Rector, Canon Neil Robinson, and edited by Robert Leake, current churchwarden
Putting the mouse pointer over images will enlarge them. - Last updated 2 February 2026 - John Colby