Church Of St John

Church of St John

This parish church stands by the road in the centre of the hamlet of Wollaston. The building was constructed in 1787-8 on the site of a medieval chapel first recorded in 1289, probably reusing some materials from the earlier structure. It was substantially remodelled in 1885 when a porch and vestry were added, and underwent further restoration in 1911 when the bellcote was replaced. The architect for the 1885 work was H. N. Treasure, as recorded on a plaque in the porch. The 1911 restoration was carried out by contractor George Wynne and included removal of the probably 18th-century ceiling, installation of a new bellcote to replace a possibly 18th-century hexagonal wooden predecessor, a new roof, and other general repairs. The 1885 restoration cost £600.

The church is constructed of coursed Alberbury breccia and red sandstone rubble with red sandstone dressings. The porch and vestry are of snecked dressed red sandstone with ashlar dressings. The roof is of 20th-century machine tiles. The building comprises a three-bay nave and chancel under one roof, with a lean-to west porch and north vestry.

Externally, the church features a stepped plinth to the west and chamfered quoins with a cyma-recta moulded cornice. A 19th-century cross crowns the apex of the east gable. The gabled west bellcote of 1911 has a single pointed arch with chamfered offsets, moulded kneelers and a weathervane. The 18th-century windows are round-arched with inserted 19th-century 'Venetian' tracery comprising two chamfered round-arched lights with a circle above. The 19th-century east window consists of triple stepped round-arched lancets with roll moulding and hoodmould with scroll stops. The porch has west and north windows of two roll-moulded round arches with hoodmould and scroll stops. The vestry features a lean-to roof with an integral stack to the right, a triangular-headed window in the right-hand return front, and a segmental-headed boarded door with keystone in the left-hand return front.

The interior contains a five-bay 18th-century roof with king post trusses, pairs of purlins and ashlar pieces. Over the chancel are two bays, with the division marked by 19th-century pilasters on the wall supporting open brackets to an 18th-century truss fitted with inserted 19th-century open trefoiled panels. The east window has nook shafts with moulded bases and stiff-leaf capitals, and roll-moulded rear-arches. A 19th-century chamfered archway to the porch has a hoodmould with carved stops. The porch has a three-bay lean-to roof with carved corbels. The west window features a chamfered rear-arch. Three steps lead up to the chancel, which has an encaustic floor of tiles.

The fittings are mainly from circa 1885 and include pews, choir stalls, lectern and altar rails. The pulpit has a canted front with traceried panels. An octagonal stone font with moulded base and bowl bears the inscription "IHS / SUFFER THE / LITTLE CHILDREN / TO COME UNTO / ME, AND FORBID / THEM NOT: FOR / OF SUCH IS / THE KINGDOM / OF GOD", with a wooden cover. A painted coat of arms dated 1793 hangs above the western arch. The windows contain leaded clear glass. A plaque records the 1911 restoration by contractor George Wynne. A plaque to Thomas Parr, who was reputed to have been 152 years old when he died on 15 November 1635, was noted in historical records, though it was not observed at the time of survey in July 1985.