St Peter’s church is a Dorchester landmark, its striking 15th-century west tower rising high above the High Street shops and looking down on the neighbouring Dorset County Museum.

The church was built at the upper end of the town’s Corn Market in 1454. It consists of a nave, chancel, and two aisles. The eastern ends of both aisles were probably used as chantry chapels. The north aisle was rebuilt by the Williams family of Herringstone, and thus known as the Williams Chapel.

The majority of the church dates from the 15th century, with later alterations and extensions over the following centuries. The church has been Grade I listed since 1950.

Morning prayer is held in the Hardye Chapel on Monday and Thursday mornings at 9.00am and on a Sunday morning there are two main services – an earlier, quiet more devotional spoken service at 9.00am based on the Book of Common Prayer and at 10.30am the Sung Eucharist with a full and excellent choir. There is also a weekday communion on Thursday mornings.

The Church itself is a beautiful medieval building with rich historical associations with the town and individuals such as Rev. John White and Thomas Hardye.