Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist

Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist

A Roman Catholic church designed by Joseph Ireland, originally built as a family chapel at Tixall Hall between 1827 and 1829. The church was dismantled and relocated to its present location in 1845.

The building is constructed of local stone in ashlar finish and is orientated north-east to south-west. It comprises a single space containing the nave and sanctuary, with a projecting porch at the liturgical west end. A sacristy projects from the eastern end of the southern elevation and connects to the adjacent presbytery.

The church is characterised by its long north and south elevations, which feature tall mullioned and transomed windows separated by buttresses positioned between and at the corners. All elevations are topped with crenellated parapets. Small carved shields displaying coats of arms are positioned above the buttresses. The main entrance is via the porch, which projects from the western elevation. The porch features central timber doors within a Tudor-style surround beneath a flat hoodmould, with carved tracery in the spandrels and uncarved shields serving as label stops. Above the door is a niche housing a statue beneath a decorative ogee-roofed canopy with traceried panels. To either side are tall blind panels with traceried heads, and the gable is surmounted by a stone cross with panelled copings across the porch on all sides.

The east elevation contains a large four-light window with Perpendicular-style tracery beneath a flat head. At the south-west corner, between the church and porch, stands a tall octagonal turret with open trefoiled panels to the bellcote and projecting carved heads beneath the crenellated parapet. The sacristy projects from the eastern end of this elevation and includes a further window before connecting to the presbytery. The church maintains a continuous crenellated parapet throughout.

Internally, the porch entrance door has a surround with Perpendicular-style tracery, carved spandrels and floral decoration. The original porch ceiling has been replaced with plain plaster, though fluted pilasters survive in the corners, possibly indicating a former fan vault. The internal door to the church itself has modern doors in a Tudor-style surround with a carved coat of arms above.

The interior features an ornately carved western gallery with an arcaded screen displaying stepped posts rising to crocketted finials, carved spandrels and additional carved decoration above. The main body of the church is lined with dado-height panelling throughout, all featuring traceried heads. Above this, between the windows, are tall arched panels flanked by further traceried panels. Plain timber pews occupy the nave; some are understood to have originally possessed tall poppyheads which were removed in the 1970s. Markings visible on various stones throughout the church are said to relate to the dismantling and reconstruction process of 1845.

A highly ornate wall pulpit stands at the sanctuary end, accessed via a stair within the sacristy. The pulpit features a carved ogee base with traceried panels above and a figure of a green man in the carved cornice. An adjacent Tudor-style door provides access to the sacristy. The sanctuary contains a forward altar created from the original altar, repositioned in the 1970s. To the right is a sedile with an ornate canopy, and the rear wall displays traceried panels. The east window, dating from 1910, depicts St John the Baptist. A continuous panelled ceiling runs throughout the church with stencilled decoration.

The presbytery attached to the south of the building is not included in the listing.