Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul

A Norman church with medieval additions, containing 'the most complete collection of medieval wall paintings in the country' (Pevsner). Pickering parish church is always open during daylight hours and visitors are always welcome. Tere is a bookstall and a brochure explaining the church and the wall paintings. Visitors are also welcome to spend a moment of quiet and to light a candle in prayer.

The church has close links with the USA. There is a memorial, to the right of the organ, to Mary, Robert and Nicholas King their son.

Nicholas was born in Pickering, christened in the church, trained as a surveyor by his father and emigrated to the United States in 1794. He served as the first surveyor of Washington DC in 1796 and 1797 and then from 1803 to 1812 (when he died) making a major contribution to the development of the capital.

In 1797 he was replaced in The Surveyors Office by his father Robert after the whole family had followed him to America.

Nicholas's other claim to fame was that he prepared maps, at President Jefferson's request, related to the expedition of Lewis and Clark.

Robert returned to Britain and is buried at the foot of the church steps.