The Church Of St John The Evangelist

The Church of St John the Evangelist is an Anglican church and community centre dating from 1838-40, designed by Woodhead and Hurst. A tower was added in 1883-84, and alterations in 1984 created a community centre. The church is constructed of coursed coal measures sandstone with ashlar dressings, including moulded copings and gables, cross finials, and a Welsh slated roof.

The south-west tower incorporates a gabled porch, nave, north and south aisles, and a chancel with a vestry to the north wall. The tower is built of rock-faced masonry and features three stages set upon a moulded plinth. A stairway is incorporated within the first stage, above which is a doorway and lancet windows. Stepped angle buttresses are present with set-offs to the first stage. Above the gabled porch, triple lancet windows sit within a pointed arched doorway with a deeply moulded surround and attached shafts. A hoodmould with a projecting ashlar apex is above a plain arch. The second stage is plain with unmoulded stringcourses. The bell stage has octagonal corner columns supporting octagonal pinnacles within moulded caps. Twin lancet belfry lights are contained within a hoodmould integrated within a stringcourse. A shallow parapet rises from a plain corbel table, with moulded coping, topped by a steep, slated pyramidal roof.

The three-bay south aisle has tripartite lancet windows rising from a plain plinth, delineated by stepped buttresses. The end bay includes a 20th-century double doorway. The six-bay nave features cinquefoil clerestory lights and a tall tripartite lancet window on the west gable. The two-bay chancel incorporates a single shallow buttress, 2-light pointed arched windows, and diagonal buttresses to the east gable. The east gable’s 4-light pointed arched window has geometrical tracery, a hoodmould with carved stops, and a continuous band linking cills with buttresses. The single-bay vestry has a hipped roof. The four-bay north aisle has an elaborately moulded kneeler and now has a 20th-century double doorway.