Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a parish church largely dating to the 13th century, with additions and alterations in the 14th century. Further alterations were recorded in 1440, and a restoration occurred in 1875-6 by C. Kirk. The church is constructed from ironstone with limestone dressings.

The west tower is of three stages, appearing externally as four, defined by string courses. It features a two-light cusped Y-tracery window on the west side. The ringing chamber has cusped lancet windows, and the belfry has two-light Decorated windows. A corbel table supports four corner pinnacles, topped by an octagonal broach spire with three tiers of gabled lucarnes, alternating between facets and containing Decorated two-light tracery.

The south aisle has three Perpendicular windows of three lights under pointed arches, while the north aisle has two- and three-light Perpendicular windows under pointed segmental arches. The clerestory features three two-light cusped windows on each side, set under flat heads and hoods. Gabled north and south porches provide access. The north porch has stepped diagonal buttresses and two crocketed pinnacles, while the south porch incorporates a monument to William Brown, dated 1761. The chancel has two two-light Flamboyant windows on the south side, two three-light windows on the north side, an arched Priest’s door, and an east window of elongated reticulation units. The south and east windows are likely from the 1875 restoration.

Internally, a three-bay 13th-century arcade features octagonal piers with polygonal bases and capitals, decorated with nailhead and occasional crocket motifs. The arches are double chamfered, with a triple chamfered tower arch and a depressed chancel arch. The nave has a 19th-century roof constructed of ties, a ridge piece, and one pair of butt purlins. Some 15th-century poppyheads remain from earlier benches. A 15th-century octagonal font has hollow sides to the stem, each with two fleurons, and four carved heads to the base. The bowl has split-cusped quatrefoils to each facet, containing grimacing heads. A 15th-century screen of three cusped lights on either side of a cusped ogee opening has been restored and appears largely 19th-century. The chancel roof is similar to that of the nave. A wall monument commemorates Robert Sanderson, dated 1682. Fragments of late 14th-century stained glass remain within the heads of the chancel south windows.