St Peter’s Parish Church, Scremerston

St Peter’s Church sits at the centre of the village of Scremerston. The people of the village and nearby who worship there have a desire to make the building available for all in the community, whether they have a faith or not. In fact, other than the first school St Peter’s is the only community resource and is used by villagers for regular events such as a coffee morning and a Knit ‘n Natter group which raises funds for local charities. This is in addition to the regular services – details of which can be found here.

Buses Arriva X15 and X18 stop very close by. Parking is on the road. It is the old A1 road so is quite wide do please take care if crossing as drivers exceed the speed limit.

Access & Facilities

There is a flat path from the gate to the front door which provides level access to the main area of the church. There are traditional pews but also an open area with tables and chairs which may be used during a service if sitting in a pew is difficult for any reason. Inside the church there is a small step to the chancel area (front of the church).

Words for songs and other parts of the service are usually projected on to a screen at the front of the church.

If you wish to take communion and are unable to move from your pew or wheelchair, please let the person who greets you know, and the minister presiding at communion will serve you where you are seated.

A kitchen area has been installed at the rear of the building.
The door to the toilet is also at the back of the building.

Who was St Peter?

Peter was one of the disciples, the group of men who lived and travelled with Jesus in Palestine. We know about him through the sections of the Bible called the Gospels and it is thought St Marks Gospel is based on Peter’s memories of his time with Jesus. The Bible also contains 2 letters written by him to first century Christians.

This window in St Peter’s Church shows Peter carrying a set of keys, based on an occasion when Jesus told Peter that Jesus would give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

The History

The building is not as old as you might think having been built in 1842/3 with sandstone walls and a Welsh slate roof in an ‘early English’ style. It is listed by Historic England as Grade II and you can find their formal description of the interior here. Inside the church is light and open and a new heating system keeps it cosy in winter.

Scremerston is a small village between Berwick and the A1 where working people generally have to commute for employment. Some remains of the old Blackhill and other coal mines can be found in the local woods and the remains of lime kilns at the beach, reflecting the village’s industrial past. There is agricultural land between the village and the coast. Although set back from the sea, Scremerston can claim the beautiful and little known Cocklawburn beach which is good for marine fossil hunting.