Church Of St John The Baptist

BILLESDON SK 7002-7102 and SK 7202-7302 CHURCH STREET (South Side) 7-8/19 Church of St. John the Baptist 29.12.66 GV II*

Church. Main body C13, with C15 north aisle and chancel and south aisle rebuilt 1864. Ironstone rubble with ashlar dressing. West tower, nave with two aisles and chancel. Limestone ashlar tower C13 in character but rebuilt in 1862, of three stages with broach spire above corbel table. 2-light geometric traceried openings to bell chamber. Buttressed and with plinth. North aisle also buttressed with plinth, Victorian porch and north doorway with hollow chamfered arch. Aisle windows are in a late Decorated style, with almost round arched hood moulds. Chancel windows in similar style and the east window a Victorian restoration in the Decorated style. Coped east gables with cross finials to nave and chancel. Victorian south aisle with Decorated windows and small south doorway with hood mould. Inside nave of four bays. West tower arch is triple chamfered with hood mould and is C13. Single lancet window to west wall of tower. One original arcade to the north, with low piers, octagonal, bar one which has eight clustered chamfers and stiff leaf and masks in the capital. The others, and the octagonal responds have nail head decoration. Double chamfered arches with corbel heads. Victorian nave roof, hammerbeam construction. South arcade is exactly modelled on the north. Double chamfered chancel arch with Victorian wood screen. Steeply pitched C19 roof to chancel. Various C19 marble wall tablets. South chapel vestry 1862. Stained glass in north aisle and chancel late C19 to early C20. Plain C13 font, a squat round basin, with moulding to rim and C17 ribbed cover with finial.

Listing NGR: SK7199702538