Church Of St John The Evangelist

The Church of St John the Evangelist, built between 1871 and 1874 by architects T H and F Healy, is an example of Early English Gothic architecture. This large church is constructed of sandstone "brick" with ashlar dressings. It features a tall nave that extends into the chancel, with low aisles on either side. The south porch is gabled and has shafts, while the tall south-east tower is a significant element of the design. The clerestory and aisles have broad shafted lights, and the west end is buttressed, showcasing a large rose window. The square tower includes blind arcading beneath a shafted lancet belfry, and it is topped with panelled machicolation at the base of an octagonal spire, which has lucarnes and rises from clasping pyramidal pinnacles, reflecting a style more akin to the 13th century in Normandy. The tower stands out as a prominent feature of the town's skyline.