Editing Belaugh (section)

== Belaugh St Peter ==
Belaugh St Peter is a [[Church of England]] church located at the top of a steep slope above the village. It was built circa 14th century and contains an ornate [[rood screen]] decorated with images of the [[Twelve Apostles|apostles]] that appears to have been added in the early 16th century. In the 17th century a soldier loyal to [[Oliver Cromwell]] (described in a letter to Sheriff Tofts of Norwich as a 'godly trooper') scraped away the faces of the apostles, such images being regarded as idolatrous by many of Cromwell's followers. According to records displayed in the church, the letter writer also added disapprovingly that, "The Steeple house [of Belaugh St Peter] stands high, perked like one of the idolatrous high places of [[Israel]]". The font of the church is shaped in the Norman style as a cauldron made of a blue stone.

One unusual feature of the church is the remains of blank arcading on the outside of the south wall of the nave. If original this looks more Saxon than Norman.

The church organ was built between 1886 and 1904 by the Reverend George Buck, who was rector between 1880 and 1907 and son of Dr Zephaniah Buck, organist of [[Norwich Cathedral]]. George Buck also built church organs for [[Edingthorpe]] and [[Little Melton]].

[[John Betjeman]] stated that it was the view of St Peter's from the river that began his lifelong passion for churches.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkqY-MBPTR8 | title=BBC TV "A Passion for Churches": John Betjeman 1974 | website=[[YouTube]] | date=10 June 2017 }}</ref>