The Civil War ushers in a period of Puritan rule during the 1650s. Priests with Royalist sympathies are ejected from office and “intruder” priests are installed by Parliament in English parish churches. The Rector of St Peter’s at this time, Rev John Napier, is ejected in 1650 and replaced with a Parliament-approved clergyman, although his replacement is not recorded on the list of Rectors displayed in the church. Following the Restoration, Napier returns to his post in 1661, where he remains for another 20 years.
