Church Of St John The Evangelist

SD 82 SE BACUP BURNLEY ROAD

13/14 Church of St. John the Evangelist - - II

Church, 1882-3, by Medland Taylor. Coursed sandstone, blue slate roof with patterned bands of green slates. Nave with full-height aisles, south porch and transept, polygonal baptistery at west end, chancel with basement and various side offices. On slope rising to the west, in simplified Gothic style with buttresses and stepped bands on 2 levels. East end presents 2 unequal gables to the road, that to the chancel with a large 5-light traceried window (and 4 basement lights), the smaller set back on the north side with a 3-light window which has a cusped vesica in the head. On the south side the 2-bay chancel has at the lower level stepped lean-to cloisters with one doorway and 5 lancets, and above these 2-light windows with hoodmoulds; transept has a large 5-light window with a hoodmould (and 2 lancets at the lower level); aisle has large gabled porch (intended for a tower) in the 1st bay, 2 windows in the 2nd bay and one in the 3rd bay, all these of 2 simplified lights with a small round light above. North aisle of 4 regular bays has similar windows. West end has a rose window in the gable and a lean-to extension embracing the polygonal baptistery which has tall coupled lancets in the 2 exposed sides. Interior: 4-bay arcade of columns with moulded shaft-rings, moulded caps, 2-centred arches; similar 2-bay arcade to west end; scissor-braced roof with wind-braced purlins and alternate trusses with arch-bracing supported by hammerbeams; similar chancel roof with truss carried on a short chamfered pilasters the bases of which rest on moulded circular caps to stove-pipe-shaped columns dying into the wall below; aisle roofs with kingposts and longitudinal bracing. A dramatic and unorthodox church typical of this architect.

Listing NGR: SD8673423039