Church Of St John

The Church of St John was built as a proprietary chapel in 1766, designed by John Carr, and enlarged in 1828 and 1831. It was commissioned by Richard Richardson of Bierley Hall as an estate chapel and consecrated in 1824. The church is a small, finely detailed building in a classical style, resembling a barn. It is constructed of finely dressed ashlar sandstone, with deep eaves and pedimented gable ends featuring large modillion brackets.

The west front is distinguished by a graceful bell turret, topped with an engaged Tuscan column, a small dome, a short obelisk-spire, and a weathervane. The side elevations comprise three bays, each featuring arched windows that are shallowly recessed. A plat band runs horizontally around the entire exterior at impost level. The east end has a Venetian window with blind side lights, also recessed. The three-bay west front has a shallow, two-storey arched recess containing a corniced plaque above a doorway with a Gibbs surround, which is itself screened by a Tuscan double-columned porch added circa 1823. Revealed glazing bar sashes are present on the ground floor, with square blank panels above the plat band on the first floor. An oculus is located within the pediment. The north transept mirrors the detailing of the original structure.

Inside, the mouldings are restrained and classical. A west gallery features a delicate balustrade that projects forward over an internal porch supported by six Tuscan columns. A similar balustrade to the north transept gallery rests on cast iron columns. The original baluster, stem pulpit has an octagonal bowl with a set of panels added in 1905. Two large 18th century paintings are positioned on either side of the altar.