Church of St John the Baptist

Church of St John the Baptist

A parish church of cruciform plan, dating from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries with substantial restorations carried out in 1883. The building is constructed of sandstone rubble with tufa sandstone dressings and has stone slate roofs. The layout comprises a two-bay nave, with two to three-bay chancels on either side of a north tower and south transept, and features a south porch.

The tower is the dominant architectural feature, rising in three stone stages with a timber-framed fourth stage above, topped by a pyramidical roof with weathercock. Timber-framing to the upper stage includes thin vertical studs and paired angle struts rising from the cill to corner posts. Short weathered diagonal buttresses flank the north-west and north-east corners. The west elevation contains a central vent loop to the second stage and a chamfered square-headed opening to the penultimate stage. The east and north elevations are similar, each featuring a trefoil-headed opening to the ground stage, with that on the north elevation positioned left of centre.

The north elevation of the nave displays a tufa string mid-way up the wall. A large sharply tapered buttress with tumbled coursing stands left of centre, with a weathered diagonal buttress to the right corner, and includes a gable cross to the verge.

The north elevation of the chancel contains a central two-light traceried window beneath a square head, each light trefoiled and ogee-headed, flanked to the left by a chamfered lancet. The east elevation features a three-light window with stepped uncusped lights, a restored verge and gable cross.

The south elevation of the chancel includes a lancet to the right-hand side, a recessed triangular-headed one-light window left of centre, and a priest's door with chamfered two-centred head fitted with a 19th-century ledged oak door. The south elevation of the south transept has a central quatrefoil-headed light beneath a sundial, with two blind pointed recesses below. Diagonal buttresses occupy the corner, with a gable cross to the verge. The right-hand return displays a pair of trefoil-headed lights; the left-hand return contains one trefoil-headed light and half of a large restored arch within which is a recessed blocked squint-like opening and a triangular-headed doorway with two orders of roll mouldings. This doorway is fitted with a nail-studded oak ledged door, possibly 17th-century in date, with a scutcheon-plate, strap hinges and handle.

The south elevation of the nave features a pair of restored trefoil-headed lights. A large buttress with tumbled coursing occupies the left corner. A lean-to porch of early 20th-century date, constructed in oak, covers the entry to the south wall adjacent to the junction with the south transept. The entry is distinguished by a red sandstone 12th-century lintel decorated with a geometric pattern to its centre and two zig-zags to each end. The jambs are mostly of tufa, continuing the zig-zag motif around the arch where it changes to semi-circles. The label moulding displays a nailhead design. The doorway is fitted with a ledged oak door, possibly 12th-century in date, with rich asymmetrical scrolls worked into strap hinges.

The west elevation of the nave contains a pair of trefoil-headed lights with tufa jambs. Below these is the west doorway, which has a round tufa arch beneath a mid-20th-century lintel, fitted with a ledged door also probably mid-20th-century in date.

The interior features open waggon roofs, much restored. The chancel roof is lower than that of the nave, which has a corbel table supporting the wall-plate as it crosses the south wall of the tower. The south transept roof is probably 19th-century in date. The chancel walls incorporate tufa, and the south wall contains a recess with a two-centred head at the east end. Further west is a similar but larger recess, a 13th-century piscina with projecting circular drain. The north wall includes a segmentally headed tomb recess with pendant and trefoiled cusps.

The chancel contains a 17th-century oak communion table with carved rails and bulbous legs. Seventeenth-century choir stalls comprise five benches and two seats, featuring turned legs, carved arms and rectangular back panels with moulded margins.

Monuments within the chancel include a black and white marble rectangle in memory of John Freeman, died 1816, with an apron enriched with acanthus. The east window contains stained glass with geometrical patterns for Elizabeth Blisset, died 1867, restored in 1981. The south-west and north-west windows feature similar designs and commemorate Mary Blisset, died 1882, and Charles Blisset, died 1859, respectively. Brass plaques on the south wall commemorate Edward Chamberlain, died 1712; Joane Parker, died 1697; the Revd Rowland Parry, died 1761; his wife Elizabeth, died 1736; and son Harry, died 1722.

On the north wall stands a 17th to 18th-century reader's desk with canted front, swags and under-cut carving with scrolled ends. The seat features a plain back similar to the choir stalls and is linked to the desk by a rail at arm-level, beneath which are turned balusters alternating with enriched splat balusters. By contrast, a late 20th-century Wurlitzer Digital Music System is located nearby.

The nave has a plain two-centred tower arch to the right of which is a triangular-headed niche. The font is 13th-century, comprising an octagonal bowl with chamfered underside, octagonal stem and round base. The pulpit, dating to the early 18th century, is part octagonal with swags and ribbons and an acanthus frieze, with back panel supporting a tester with carved front. The tester is enriched with a carved front and has pilasters to its angles. Twentieth-century steps to the pulpit feature three turned balusters, probably 18th-century in date, supporting the handrail. An oak lectern in memory of the Great War stands near the tower arch. A grey and white marble wall monument for John Blisset, died 1822, consisting of a draped sarcophagus surmounted by a broken tree, also occupies the nave.

The south transept features fluted chamfer stops at the north-west corner at the junction with the nave. A 14th-century piscina in the east wall displays an ogeed head with inner arch also ogeed, with ballflowers between the two, and a circular drain. The same wall contains a contemporary recess with two-centred arch and two rows of ball-flowers. Two mutilated tomb recesses occupy the south wall. Late 19th-century stained glass commemorates the Blissets and Margaret Dew.

The tower contains several 18th-century floor slabs and, in the east window cill, fragments of a 13th-century foliated coffin lid. A cast-iron chest, with two fielded panels to the lid and front and pivoted handles to the ends and lid, bears a raised inscription on its lid: REGISTER/CHEST/1813/COALBROOKDALE.