Church Of St John The Evangelist

Church of St John the Evangelist

A Church built in 1863–65 by John Norton of London, with a tower added in 1881–83 by Alexander and Henman. A one-bay west extension to the nave and aisles was added in 1914 by C.G. Hare of London, a south porch in 1927, and a late 20th-century extension to the vestry. The building is constructed in red brick with sandstone and patterned polychrome brick dressings; the extensions and porch are brick with stone dressings. Welsh slate roofs cover the structure.

The church comprises a north-west tower, a clerestoried nave with aisles, transepts, and a short apsidal chancel with a north vestry and south chapel. The architectural style is Early English, featuring plate tracery, except for the west extension which is in Decorated style with flowing tracery.

The four-stage tower has setback buttresses and a moulded plinth. Its north face contains boarded double doors with scrolled iron strap hinges, set under a cusped head on nook shafts with carved capitals. The second and third stages have slit lights under relieving arches. The uppermost stage contains paired bell openings with shaped louvres. The tower is crowned with octagonal angle turrets and a short, recessed octagonal spire with ball and cross finials.

The nave comprises four bays with aisles and a one-bay extension. Windows are arranged in groups of three, with buttresses between aisle bays. A lean-to south porch adjoins the original west end bay. The extension features paired windows and an original west window with Geometric-style tracery. The transepts have angle buttresses and rose windows set above three lancets. The lower chancel contains three circular clerestorey windows and pointed windows flanked by buttresses in a half-duodecagonal apse with a half-pyramidal roof. A flat-roofed vestry extension adjoins to the east. The south chapel has a round east window. Cross finials ornament all gables.

The interior contains six-bay nave arcades with round piers, carved capitals, and moulded bases. A richly carved roundel sits above the chancel arch, supported by round responds on corbels. Similar arches serve the transepts and south chapel. The nave roof is barrel-form with moulded ribs, wall plate, and gilded, richly carved bosses. Flying buttresses in the aisles support moulded panelled ceilings with similar bosses. The transepts feature kingpost roof trusses with braced collars, two rows of purlins, and collared rafters. The chancel roof is similar but with patterned curved braces and carved principals.

Four steps lead to a marble-paved chancel, furnished with good wrought-iron gates and railings. A carved panelled oak war memorial altar from 1914–18 stands in the sanctuary. A three-bay, two-tier painted reredos of 1927 by Farmer of London depicts Resurrection scenes in canopied niches and includes carved dado panelling. A square carved stone font on marble and stone colonnettes and a stone octagonal pulpit with open trefoil-headed panels on colonnettes—both by Farmer—provide liturgical furnishings. A richly carved rood with weepers is suspended from the chancel arch.

The east window contains good stained glass depicting scenes from the Life of Christ. Aisle windows feature stained glass by Laver Barraud and Westlake of London.

The church occupies an important corner site and functions as a local landmark.