Parish Profile: St Peter's is a ,Grade 1 Listed Building, with a list of ministers going back to 1180. The original building was constructed by monks from Waltham Abbey, in the early 12th century. This is now the choir area with the main altar. the nave was added over the next 100 years. The church roof is original with carvings of many local people of the time. There are two 'Leper Squints' in the West wall & several other interesting features. The wooden bell tower fell down and gave rise to the rhyme 'Arlesey men are naughty people, they sold their bells to build a steeple'. However, in Victorian times a new ,tower, with 6 bells was a built by the widow of the local squire in his memory www.achurchnearyou.com/arlesey-st-peter (last checked April 2014)