A walk around the Heritage Quarter

The Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul is the most dominant as well as the oldest building in the town.

The chancel is in the Early Decorated style of about 1300, the remainder mostly being Perpendicular 1450-1500.

The tower and spire are particularly fine examples of this period with a combined height of 180 feet.

There is a splendid peal of twelve bells, with special shutters to the belfry openings, which can be closed to reduce sound volume during practice.

Three of the original bells were cast by Thomas Eayre of the famous family of Kettering bellfounders whose craft was commemorated in the name of Bellfoundry Lane.

This was the same Thomas (1691-1757) who besides being a bellfounder and clockmaker was the surveyor who mapped Kettering in 1720 and produced engravings for John Bridges' History of Northamptonshire.

Entering the church by the north porch, with its small room above, one is immediately aware of the light and airy atmosphere of the interior. The church is flooded with light from the well-proportioned windows of the aisles and clerestory.