Parish Church Of St John The Evangelist

The following building shall be added:

SJ 58 SW WESTON Heath Road South 5/112 Parish Church of St John the Evangelist II* Parish Church. 1896-7 by John Douglas. Sandstone ashlar; Welsh slate roofs, stone slab to spire. W steeple, nave, S porch, narrow N aisle, storeyed chancel built over vestries, N organ chamber.

Exterior: Steeple tower with 2 massive W buttresses with set-offs, shallow buttresses to the S breaking through nave roof. 2-light W window under hood-mould; stubby broach spire with gabled 2-light bellfry openings to cardinal points, the sills brought down below level of spire eaves. Nave wraps around tower; single lancet to W wall. Groups of flush lancet to S wall, also to N aisle which is contained under catslide roof and stops short of W end of nave. Porch approached by steps with retaining walls; prominent gable coping and apex cross; 2-centred moulded arch under hood- mould. Chancel: storeyed and much higher than nave with single tall lancets to side walls (paired to sanctuary), and shouldered paired lancets to vestry below. E window triple lancet under hood-mould; 2 lancets set low to vestry. Organ chamber-simply treated with tall chimney stack at junction with chancel. Interior. 4-bay nave; windows in deep reveals; 3 arches at W end define baptistry, that to the centre taller than the others. Roof: side purlin with braced collars to principals; wind braces. The N aisle con- struction is original and striking: arcade posts and plate (the latter with inscription), with straight braces, tie stub with straight brace from post to principal; ashlar pieces. Raised chancel with 2-centred moulded arch; arched-brace boarded roof. Fittings: choir stall robust, open fronted, each bay with central turned baluster; polygonal stone pulpit with Cruci- fixion panel; octagonal font, stone; organ (1898) by Alexander Fry; glass by Percy Bacon Brothers.

A bold and original design; the church occupies a very exposed site. It was financed in part by subscriptions raised world-wide by choirboys and became known as the 'Choirboys' Church'. It is similar in design to Douglas's church at Maentwrog (Merioneth) and was illustrated in the Architect (64, 1900, p.248).

Listing NGR: SJ5088180490