Church Of St. John The Baptist

The Church of St. John the Baptist is a parish church largely dating to the early 13th century, with significant alterations around 1403, the 15th century, the 16th century, and a chancel rebuilt in approximately 1860. It is constructed of coarse limestone rubble, ashlar, with lead and Collyweston slate roofing.

The church comprises a western tower, a clerestoried nave, aisles, a chancel, and a south porch. The three-stage, ashlar tower of the 15th century features clasping buttresses, chamfered string courses, and an embattled parapet with angle pinnacles. The belfry stage contains two-tiered four-centred arched belfry lights in hollow chamfered surrounds. The west wall has a three-light panel traceried window, above which is a large clock. Single, two-light windows are set into the side walls of the first floor. The north aisle, also of the 15th century, has five three-light windows, one at each end and three along the sides, all with cusped ogee heads and four-centred surrounds. A 16th-century clerestory above the nave features four paired lights in chamfered surrounds, beneath a plain parapet.

The 19th-century chancel is built of squared limestone with a Collyweston slate roof, containing two-light side windows, a three-light east window, and to the south, a priest’s door and a single light window. The 14th-century south aisle is constructed of coursed limestone rubble and has a fleuron frieze to the parapet, along with a 15th-century three-light panel traceried east window. The south side features two 19th-century three-light windows, followed by a further three-light window with cusped ogee heads to the lights. Beside this are two blank panels with trilobed heads, which form part of a frieze that also survives on the west wall. Further west, there is a plinth with quatrefoils, a three-light window from the early 15th century, above a sunk quatrefoil, and a gabled bellcote on the gable. This detail may relate to work carried out around 1403, when a chapel to St. Mary was constructed.

The approximately 1403 gabled south porch has a wave-moulded and pointed outer arch, above which is an elaborate trefoil-headed niche with side pinnacles and a crocketed ogee canopy. It features an 18th-century six-panelled double door matching the inner four-panelled door, which is set within a continuously moulded and pointed surround.

Inside, the four-bay 13th-century nave arcades have double chamfered arcades with octagonal piers and responds, and moulded capitals. A tall 15th-century tower arch has a moulded head, embattled octagonal capitals, and side shafts with bell-moulded bases. The south aisle contains a 15th-century cusped-headed piscina and a 15th-century cambered tie beam roof with moulded principals, similar to that of the nave. The chancel arch is early 13th century, with a roll-moulded and chamfered head, annular capitals with hob nailing. Fittings are predominantly 19th and 20th century, with the exception of a 13th-century octagonal plain tub font set on a square base, and a fine 14th-century oak, iron-bound churchwardens' chest with curved feet.