 In 1254 the village was named "scī Petr'", which gradually changed to "scī Petri" by 1270, Sti Petri in Insula de Thaneto by 1422, and finally settling by 1610 on its current form of St Peter's.The church has the right to fly the white ensign, dating from when the church tower was used as a signalling station in the Napoleonic Wars.The village sign won first prize in a nationwide competition in 1920.