Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a church dating from the late 11th century to the 14th century, with 19th-century alterations. It is constructed of old red sandstone with tiled roofs. The church features a two-stage 14th-century west tower, a five-bay nave, a south porch, a two-bay chancel, and a vestry. The tower has diagonal buttresses, and above the nave roof, corbelled projecting corners to the north-east and south-east. A contemporary leaded door with strap-hinges is set within the tower wall. A band of herringbone masonry is visible below the eaves level of the nave on both the north and south sides. Directly opposite the south door is a blocked Norman north door with rope-moulding to the lintol and shouldered jambs. The south wall has heavily restored cusped 'Y' tracery paired lancets, and a blocked Norman semi-circular headed window is located to the west of the south porch. A timber-framed porch, probably from the 16th century, stands on a stone plinth to the south door, featuring acanthus spandrels to the south lintol and raking struts to the roof. The east end of the chancel has a pair of Norman windows with a roundel centrally placed above; a trefoiled two-light south window, and a heavily restored semi-circular headed priest’s door are also present. The south entrance to the nave features rope moulding beneath a plain tympanum.

Inside, the nave has no arcade; the north windows have deep splay. The roof, possibly from the 16th century, is of six bays, consisting of arch-braced single-collar trusses with two rows of wind-braces, the lower ones cusped. Two inserted tie-beams are located approximately 1.5 and 4.5 bays from the west end. A Jacobean pulpit has been added, incorporating 19th-century steps and balusters. Also within the interior is a 14th to 15th-century muniment chest with strap hinges and multiple locks, and a floor monument to Allen Cliefe, who died in 1752. There is no chancel arch; instead, a tie-beam rests on 19th-century corbels. The chancel has a deeply splayed east window and a wagon roof with restored wind-braces; a monument to Jane Walweyn, who died in 1617, depicting the deceased and her husband kneeling at a prie-dieu, is located north of the altar. The nave roof structure shares similarities with that of the Church of St James, Colwall, even in the insertion of tie-beams, which are likely from the 17th century. The Cliffe monument is a typical example of misspelling by a craftsman.