Former Church Of St John The Divine

910/2/146 ASHCROFT ROAD 12-MAY-77 (East side) FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE (Formerly listed as: ASHCROFT ROAD CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE)

GV II DATES OF MAIN PHASES/ NAMES OF ARCHITECTS: Begun in 1881-3 to designs by J T Micklethwaite and S Clarke, but not completed until 1901-4. Converted in 2004 for use as an arts and performance space.

MATERIALS: Red brick with very limited Ancaster stone dressings. Slate roofs.

PLAN: Partially aisled nave (western 3 bays only), chancel, SE organ chamber and vestry.

EXTERIOR: A severe, French-influenced lancet style with good brickwork. The W end has a central buttress topped by a blocky bell turret. On either side is a three light window with stepped lancets within a single, pointed arch. Plain, round-headed doors in the W ends the aisles. There are similar 3 light windows and brick buttresses on the side elevations. The E wall is blind. Gabled, half-timbered oriel on S side.

INTERIOR: A large, open space dominated by the tall arcades with octagonal piers. The arcades are of 8 bays, but only the western 3 bays open into proper aisles. The piers of the eastern 5 bays are freestanding, but have a wall immediately behind them. The W responds of both arcades are long to create internal porches in the W ends of the aisles. There is an embattled cornice with fleurons in the chancel.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: Polygonal C19 font rood beam with a cross and a stone altar on a raised platform. Otherwise the fittings have been removed.

HISTORY: Begun in 1881-2 to accommodate the rapidly growing population of Gainsborough. The original plans were for a 6-bay aisled and clerestoried nave, 2-bay aisled chancel and a W tower, and the blind, unfinished aisles in the chancel and eastern part of the nave reflect this ambition. In the event, however, only the body of the chancel and eastern 4 bays of the nave were built in 1881-2; the western part of the nave, including the partial aisles, was added in 1901-4. The architects for both phases were the highly regarded church architects J T Micklethwaite (1843-1906) and Somers Clarke (1841-1926). The church became redundant in 2002 and was converted to an arts and performance space in 2004.

SOURCES: Pevsner, N and Harris, J., Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (2002), 295 Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Buildings Society, 10340 and 10533

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The former church of St John the Divine is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Plain and severe brick church designed by J T Micklethwaite and Somers Clarke, built in two phases 1881-3 and 1901-4. * High quality 8-bay arcades internally, partially blocked and reflecting an unexecuted plan for a bigger church. * Group value with the former vicarage (gv).