Church Of St John The Evangelist

ELLAND CALDER STREET SE 098212 West Vale 1/18 Church of St John the Evangelist

II

188O by T. Rushforth. In a mixed Romanesque and Gothic style. Hammer-dressed stone, with sandstone dressings, slate roof. Nave and chancel roofed continuously with lean-to aisles and south west porch under tower. The exterior treatment is very simple with small round arched windows to aisles and clerestorey. East window of 3 lancets, Tower of 3 tall stages with clasping buttresses terminating in octagonal pinnacles. Short octagonal stone spire. The treatment of the first 2 stages is Romanesque but the belfry windows are Gothic of 2-lights. The inner and outer doorways of the porch are rich Romanesque designs, the outer with chevron, the inner with beak-head ornament. The doors have ornamental hinges.

Interior: Nave of 4 bays with moulded semi-circular arches springing from round piers with attached colonnettes. Heavily moulded round chancel arch enriched with dogtooth. Stone reredos of Gothic form carved with the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. East window with scenes from the Life of Christ. Open roof with arched-braced collars. The capitals throughout the Church are skilfully carved with gripping beasts, foliage etc. Furnishings include delicate wrought-iron screen, square font of blackstone (imitating Tournai marble) on 4 colonnettes with waterleaf capitals. J. H. Marshall, 'A short history of the church in West Vale', (Elland 1903).

Listing NGR: SE0980521261