St Peter's Church Pre-Christian History.

St Peter's Church is situated within the bounderies of the original site of Roman Cambridge, described by the Venerable Bede as, 'A little ruined city called Granta Caestir.' The church stands on a small hill, surrounded by a surprisingly rural churchyard. With it's avenue of lime trees, carpet of wild flowers and mistletoe, it evokes some archaic pre Christian grove. An important Bacchanalian shrine and pentagon were excavated nearby. Roman coins and pottery were found in the NE corner of the church and a figurine of Venus in the churchyard. In early Christian times, churches were often built on Pagan sites. Gregory wrote in the 7th century,
'The temples of that race ( the English) should by no means be destroyed, but only the idols in them.' The church originates from the 11th century and traces of it's Saxon past survive, including the doorways. In Georgian times it was renovated and red Roman bricks can be seen in the south wall. When I entered I felt a great sense of history.