Church of St John

SK 1004-1104 14/84

SHENSTONE CP ST. JOHNS HILL (north side) Church of St John

(Formerly listed as Church of St John Baptist)

27.2.64

GV II Parish church. 1852-53 by John Gibson. Rock faced, almost vermiculated, coursed dark sandstone. Banded tiled roofs. Verge parapets on corbelled kneelers. North tower, nave, west porch, aisles, chancel, south chapel and south porch; extremely large and of Early English style.

Tower: set to the north-east corner of the north aisle, square and of four stages, angle buttresses of five stages. Strings between stages and set-in below bell chamber, string at bell chamber impost level and corbelled cornice with gargoyles at angles below parapet. Two-light pointed openings to bell chamber and first stage of north face; pointed north door. Octagonal stair turret clasped against south west angle and set into aisle.

Nave: extremely long, only one bay exposed beyond aisles at west end with three-light pointed windows to sides and rose window to west over a small gabled porch. North and south aisle: slightly lower than nave, gabled at ends, both similar and of approximately five bays.

North aisle has four bays exposed running up to tower, divided by heavy two-stage buttresses, strings at cills and imposts, with three-light pointed windows. South aisle has three bays exposed, the west bay with a gabled porch which has a labelled pointed arch over C20 part-glazed doors. The two east bays are taken up by the south chapel of similar style to nave and aisles, of two bays but only two-light windows to south side. Chancel: of two bays, similar to remainder but with three-stage gabletted buttresses and five-light pointed east window; the east end is something of a crowd of gables with five profiles in view.

Listing NGR: SK1097004316