Church Of St John The Evangelist

The Church of St John the Evangelist is a parish church of 1846, dated on a stone, likely designed by J Matthews and built as a Commissioner's Church. The church is constructed of brick and stone, with a tile roof. It comprises a four-bay nave, a three-bay chancel which is narrower and less lofty than the nave. A sandstone plinth is visible, alongside stone three-offset buttresses located at the angles and between the windows. There's a stone sill band with brick toothed detailing below. Windows have semicircular heads, mostly with lead lattice glazing in groups of two or three, with white terracotta dressings. Blue brick diaper work appears below the windows. A stone eaves band sits above a toothed brick band. The chancel's east window is a stepped three-light design with a terracotta surround, while the nave's west gable has a recessed two-light window with stone dressings beneath a single arch. A square brick clock and bell tower is located to the southeast, featuring diaper work and stone corner buttresses that clasp initially and finish diagonally. The tower has a stone sill level plinth and a deep stone band between its first and second stages. Semicircular headed windows are present at three levels, with the bell stage windows arranged in pairs with louvres. A stone parapet tops the tower, accompanied by a steep pyramid roof. A 20th century brick vestry fronts the tower to the west. The nave entrance, situated on the northwest side, is stone and features a semicircular, rebated arched opening leading to a porch. The porch has stone side seats and a boarded door with studs and strap hinges, topped with a gabled roof featuring kneelers and copings. Stone copings are present on the church gables, and the nave gable supports a bellcote.

Inside, the chancel is composed of a two-bay choir, one step up from the nave, followed by a one-bay sanctuary, a further two steps higher. Semicircular arches with archivolts define the transitions to the choir and sanctuary. A heavily moulded oak communion rail with turned balusters is present. A glazed vestry screen, located south of the choir, sits beneath an arch and two half arches, supported by corbels. The chancel roof features scissors braced rafters, incorporating collars and ashlar pieces. A triple blind arcade is located above the chancel arch, and similar, larger triple blind arcades flank the nave's west window. The nave side windows are deeply recessed under segmental arches, revealing splayed reveals. An oak pulpit features crosses within incised shields and a fret cornice. An octagonal stone font, originally from Middlewich church and acquired in 1844, is present, although its oak cover has been removed. Marble tablets remember clergymen, a metal war memorial stands as a tribute, and an oak panel lists former incumbents. Arch braced trusses with high collars are visible, along with curved purlin braces supported by ovolo-moulded stone corbels.