Church Of St John

The Church of St John is a parish church dating from 1833, built in the Norman Revival style by A. Poynter for G. S. Foljambe. It is constructed of ashlar with graduated slate roofs and ashlar dressings.

The church comprises a west tower, a nave, and a chancel under a continuous roof, together with north and south aisles. The three-stage west tower features a chamfered plinth, shallow corner buttresses, two moulded string courses, two lintel bands, modillioned eaves, and a crenellated parapet with four octagonal pinnacles topped with spire caps and wind vanes. The ground stage has a two-order doorway with various capitals, a roll-moulded head with zigzag and scallop bands, and a hood mould. Above this is a round-headed panel with shafts and chevron infill. Single leaded windows with shafts and cushion capitals, hood moulds, and carved imposts are positioned to the north and south. The second stage has three similar windows, and the third stage has two paired bell openings of two orders with colonettes, block capitals, and moulded heads on each side.

The nave and chancel have sill and impost bands, corner buttresses with a square pier above, and a coped east gable with a cross. A clerestory features six windows and five blocked openings with round heads and shafts. The east end features three windows with shafts, plain capitals, roll-moulded heads, and hood moulds with scallop stops. Above, an inscription ‘MDCCCXXXIII’ is inscribed, with a small opening with shafts above that. The north and south aisles, each with four bays, have five buttresses, sill and impost bands, and a coped parapet. Each side features three windows with single shafts, plain capitals, and hood moulds. The east and west ends each have a single similar window, those to the west being blocked. The south aisle incorporates a doorway with shafts with moulded bases and incised capitals, and a roll-moulded, shouldered opening. A tympanum above is inscribed 'Heb. XXXII, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith'.

The nave has a three-bay arcade with two circular piers on each side, featuring incised octagonal capitals. At the west end, a Classical timber screen with Ionic pilasters and a cornice serves as a war memorial, above which a panelled gallery displays the Royal Arms and incorporates an integral organ case. The roof is a moulded and turned queen post structure resting on corbels. A doorway is located on the north side of the chancel, and the east end features a panelled timber reredos with upper traceried panels, flanked by painted iron commandment boards and similar boards displaying the Creed and Lord’s Prayer. The east window contains stained glass depicting Arms. Fittings include plain 20th-century pews, a reading desk with traceried panels, an octagonal pulpit with traceried panels, a Norman Revival style oak lectern, and an eggcup font on a square base. Various 19th and 20th-century memorials are also present.