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St Peter's Church gives its name to the village and dominates the Golden Valley community, and if you enter the churchyard via the north gate (off the main road through the village), you will find a white gravestone about 20 metres down the path on your left.Ìý

This marks the grave of Private Robert Jones V.C. – a hero at the battle of Rorke's Drift of January 1879 in the Zulu War.

The Victoria Cross

He left the army in 1888, and settled in Peterchurch with his wife Elizabeth and their five children.

However, his physical and mental health deteriorated, and on 6 September 1898 he was found dead with gunshot wounds to the head - he was aged 41.

Many of his friends believe his death was an accident, although others point to suicide.Ìý

Local rumour states that he was buried facing west, with his gravestone at his feet, as he was believed to have committed suicide, but other villagers suggest this is nothing but rumour, and the gravestone was placed that way so it could be read more easily.

His grave is now tended by members of the Royal British Legion.

The stone bears these poignant lines:
'from thy Fatherless children I will preserve
them alive and let thy widow trust in me'