Church Of St John Of Beverley

This parish church at Whatton stands as a significant medieval structure with substantial 19th-century restoration. The building dates mainly from the 12th and 14th centuries, with the north aisle rebuilt in the 14th century. The chancel and south aisle were entirely rebuilt in 1846, while the nave and tower were reconstructed by Reverend T. Butler in 1870. The church is constructed of dressed stone and ashlar with slate roofs, featuring chamfered and moulded plinths, sill bands, and moulded eaves throughout. Coped gables, some surmounted by crosses, punctuate the roofline.

The church comprises a nave with north and south aisles, north and south porches, the Cranmer Chapel to the east of the north aisle, a chancel, and a central crossing tower. The nave clerestory spans three bays with two trefoil and single quatrefoil windows on each side, all 19th-century work with hood moulds. At the west end stands a restored 14th-century quadruple lancet window with Decorated tracery and hood mould, above which sits a small quatrefoil light with hood mould.

The north aisle extends three bays and features buttressing to the east and corner buttresses with two setoffs at each end. A projecting stepped stair enclosure to the left of the north porch now forms a chimney stack. The west end has a restored triple lancet with reticulated tracery and hood mould. The north side displays a 19th-century Decorated style triple lancet to the left and a 14th-century reticulated triple lancet to the right, both with 19th-century hood moulds. The north porch contains a restored chamfered and rebated doorway with filleted round shafts. Its barrel-vaulted interior preserves 18th-century oak benches and a 14th-century moulded inner doorway with filleted shafts.

The Cranmer Chapel, occupying a single bay to the east of the north aisle, features a diagonal buttress and a late 14th-century reticulated five-light lancet at its east end with hood mould and mask stops.

The chancel, rebuilt in 1846, spans three bays in 13th-century style with a chamfered plinth and sill band. Bracketed eaves and chamfered lancet windows with hood moulds characterise the design. The north side contains a lancet to the east and two double lancets to the west. The south side has similar fenestration. The east end displays three stepped lancets with coved reveals.

The south aisle comprises three bays with corner buttresses of two setoffs at each end. Its east end features a 19th-century triple lancet with ogee heads and reticulated tracery, while the west end displays a similar window with flowing tracery. The south side has two 19th-century triple lancets with Decorated tracery and hood moulds, the right-hand example bearing mask stops. The south porch contains diagonal buttresses and a coped gable with kneelers above. Its doorway is chamfered, rebated, and fitted with filleted shafts, flanked by single chamfered square-headed windows. The interior holds plain wood benches and a common rafter roof, with a restored inner south door featuring keeled roll moulding and hood mould. Doors are 19th-century work.

The crossing tower rises in three stages with a string course and parapet surmounted by four pinnacles. A pair of buttresses adorns the east side. The south side displays a central door with hood mould and stops, and to its right stands a two-stage canted stair turret with shouldered door and six stair lights. Above this are two 13th-century double lancet bell openings with shafts, hood moulds, and stops. The east side has a similar single lancet above a clock. The north side contains a blocked opening with two plain lancets, above which sits a similar lancet, then a pair of bell openings matching those on the south. A setback octagonal spire features two tiers of gabled lucarnes with double lancets, crowned by a finial and weathercock.

The nave arcades, rendered in 14th-century style with four bays, support three octagonal piers per bay with octagonal bases and capitals. Matching responds lack bases. The north arcade's hood moulds feature mask stops on both sides. The principal rafter roof incorporates arch braces and cusped struts. The west window displays shafts and hood moulds with stained glass from 1890.

The north aisle preserves a partial sill band, and its north side and east end windows retain keeled shafts. A 19th-century lean-to roof with arch braces covers this section. The north side contains a traceried panelled wooden screen with billeted transom at its west end, dating to the 19th century but incorporating 16th-century material. A small door to the north side accesses a former external stair. Beyond this stands a notable gabled 14th-century tomb recess with cusped trefoil head, containing a full-size effigy in cassock, probably of Robert de Whatton (circa 1310), protected by 19th-century spearhead railing. Further right stands a low elliptical-headed door, above which rises a remarkable 14th-century angel corbel with bracketed crocketed canopy. Beyond this stands a gabled trefoil-headed tomb recess from the 14th century, restored with hood mould and crocketed finial.

The Cranmer Chapel at the east end features oak fittings in early 17th-century style, added in 1957. Its east window contains stained glass commemorating Thomas Dickinson Hall (1879), flanked by single 14th-century mask corbels. The south side preserves a trefoil-headed 13th-century piscina with the remains of a chamfered aumbry above, and to its right stands a notable 14th-century King David corbel with remains of gabled crocketed canopy.

The south aisle windows feature keeled shafts, matching the roof form of the north aisle. Its east window displays outstanding stained glass commemorating the Harrison family (1878) by Morris and Company to designs by Burne-Jones. The south side east window holds stained glass to the Innocent family (circa 1900) by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. The westernmost and west end windows contain stained glass to members of the Innocent family dating to the late 19th century.

The crossing tower arches employ 14th-century style with triple chamfers and rebates, matching responds and hood moulds. The crossing contains a 13th-century chamfered recess to the north and a 13th-century chamfered doorway to the south. The chancel features a keeled sill band and a king post roof with wall shafts, arch braces, and curved struts. Its east windows are fitted with clustered marble shafts, hood moulds, and stops. The north side displays two windows with patterned stained glass (1889) and its east end features a stained glass window by Kempe and Company (1900). The south side has a trefoil-headed triple sedilia with angel corbels to the east, and two eastern windows with late 19th-century stained glass. The western window contains patterned stained glass in its head.

The church's fittings include an ashlar font of 1662 with a panelled octagonal stem inscribed with a shield and date, featuring a tapered panelled octagonal bowl with strapwork and an 18th-century wooden cover with turned knob. A carved oak octagonal pulpit on a corbelled ashlar base dates to the 19th century, accompanied by a 19th-century oak lectern with cross foot and a pair of brass candlesticks, and a large 19th-century brass eagle lectern. Mid-19th-century matchboard benches fill the nave, along with carved, pierced clergy desks and stalls with finials. A 14th-century style timber reredos with triptych and crested canopy dates to circa 1885.

Monuments span several centuries. A chest tomb of Sir Richard de Watton from the early 14th century displays blank shields in quatrefoil panels and a full-size crusader effigy with shield. An alabaster tomb chest of Hugh de Newmarch from the late 14th century features crested shield panels and a full-size knight effigy. A notable incised floor slab of 1501 commemorates Thomas Cranmer, Senior. Remains of a lantern cross with a panel showing the crucifixion survive within the chancel. An incised slate refers to the Charity of John Wells (1710). An 18th-century marble and slate tablet on brackets, signed "T. Barker, Nottm," and a brass signed "R. E. Swinfin, Middle Pavement, Nottm," both commemorate Elizabeth Bower (1892). A brass of 1892 refers to the restoration of the tomb of Sir Richard de Watton with the text of its inscription. A roll of honour in a moulded frame hangs within, and a classical style alabaster war memorial with open pediment, Doric columns, and crucifix dates to circa 1920.