Church Of St John The Baptist

Church of St John the Baptist

This church, dating to around 1415 with some 13th-century remains and 16th-century alterations, was restored in 1907. It is constructed of sandstone rubble with a slate roof and comprises a west tower, a nave and chancel under a continuous roof, north and south aisles, and a 2-storey south porch.

The west tower features diagonal buttresses and an embattled parapet. The bell openings contain 2 trefoiled lights with flat heads and hoods. Above each opening, set above a weathered set-back, is a carved tablet of an angel holding a shield. The west window has 3 cusped lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery. The west door is surrounded by a hollow-chamfered surround with a pointed head and hood.

The north aisle has an embattled parapet and 3 windows of 2 trefoiled lights under a pointed head with quatrefoil. A blocked doorway with a pointed head is located to the right, with a 19th-century vestry to the left. The south aisle also features an embattled parapet and is composed of 4 bays. The left-hand window is similar to those on the north aisle. The second bay contains a window of 3 trefoiled lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery. The window in the third bay appears to be later, with 3 cusped lights under a segmental head. The fourth window dates to the 16th century and has 3 round-headed lights under an elliptical head. To the left of the fourth bay is a chamfered priest's doorway with a pointed head.

The 2-storey porch has an embattled parapet and a moulded pointed doorway. Above the door is an empty niche, now fitted with a sundial plate. Above this is some blind tracery, and further up is a one-light window. The east window of the north aisle is similar to those on its north wall. The south aisle's east window has 3 tall slightly pointed lights. The main east window has 3 lights with a flat head and hood that cuts across earlier tracery.

The interior contains a 4-bay nave arcade with pointed arches and octagonal piers with moulded capitals. The west respond of the north aisle has stiff-leaf foliage in its capital, while the east respond is carved with spirals. The chancel has arches to both north and south, both of which appear to be restorations. The roof dates to 1907 and features tie beams with curved queen struts. The chancel and south chapel screens are of oak with tracery decoration and appear to be by Austin and Paley. A Roman votive stone is reused as part of the inner jamb of a window in the north aisle.

In the south wall of the chapel is a recess with a segmental arch containing the mutilated effigy of Sir Thomas Tunstall. On each side of the east window are angel brackets. The east window contains Flemish glass: the outer lights, depicting the Madonna and child and St Anthony, date to the 15th century, whilst the central light is 16th-century and shows the Lord giving the keys to St Peter. Beneath the tower arch stands an 18th-century oval marble font on a sandstone baluster base. Numerous wall tablets include memorials to the Fenwick family.

The church was attended by the Brontë sisters while at the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge and appears as Brocklebridge Church in Jane Eyre.