Church Of St John

WOLVERHAMPTON

SO9198SW ST JOHN'S SQUARE 895-1/13/312 Church of St John 03/02/77

GV II*

Anglican church. 1758-76. By William Baker or Roger Eykyn (builder). Ashlar with parapeted roof. Classical style. Rectangular plan with shallow chancel and west steeple. Ground floor sill band and top modillioned cornice and balustraded parapet; windows with Gibbs surrounds, those to ground floor segmental headed, those to 1st floor round headed. East facade has pedimented chancel with blind simplified Venetian window with architrave and triple keystone, 2 blind roundels over; single-bay returns have Gibbs windows, nave east has blind round-headed windows over round-headed entrances with consoled cornices, sill band forming imposts. 6-bay north and south facades with Gibbs windows; western bays have round-headed entrances with rusticated pilasters and cornices, that to south with crowned monogram: E II R. West facade has centre breaking forward under pediment, Gibbs windows to flanking bays. Round-headed entrance with radiating voussoirs, aedicule with rusticated Doric columns, Ionic entablature and blocking course, 3-fielded-panel door and fanlight with glazing bars; panel above. Tower has modillioned sill course, paired Ionic pilasters and entablature; round-headed Gibbs windows, urns to angles. Spire has round base with cornice taken over projecting clock faces, octagonal stage with pilasters, blind round-headed windows and top balustrade, rest with bands, round lucarnes and weather vane. INTERIOR: tunnel-vaulted ceiling pierced by arches; gallery to 3 sides on panelled antae on high bases, panelled front and 4-bay Doric arcades; elliptical chancel arch, vaulted chancel, which has bolection-moulded panelling and aedicule over altarpiece, panelled pilasters above. Fittings: late C19 timber screens to chapels to east ends of aisles; mid C19 altar rail on enriched wrought-iron supports; mid C19 high panelled pulpit on marble shafts; mid C19 basin font on marble shafts with coloured inlay; George III Royal arms to west gallery, gilded relief; C17 organ by Renatus Harris with rich open work to case. Mid to late C19 stained glass; and some early C20 Arts and Crafts glass. A very good and complete example of a mid C18 church. (Shell County Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire: London: 1978-: P.186; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: P.316).

Listing NGR: SO9142698162