Parish Church Of St John The Baptist

Parish Church of St John the Baptist

This is a parish church of significant complexity, built over several centuries. The core structure dates to the mid-13th century, comprising a nave with north and south aisles and a late 13th-century chancel. A west tower and south porch were added in the mid-14th century. The late 15th century saw substantial rebuilding: the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt, the north and south walls heightened, north and south transepts were added, the aisles were largely rebuilt, and a clerestory was added to the nave. The building underwent major restorations in 1883 and 1898, with the spire likely being substantially rebuilt in the 19th century. The roofs were renewed in the 16th century, and the former vault to the tower was replaced by a wooden floor at that time.

The walls are built of Weldon rubble with dressings of Weldon and Barnack limestone. The roofs are covered in zinc and lead.

The south elevation is architecturally rich. The west tower rises in three stages with a moulded plinth and an octagonal broach spire. The second stage has a window of one trefoiled light with moulded label and beast-head stops. The belfry contains two embattled transomed windows, each with two upper and lower trefoiled lights and a quatrefoil set within a two-centred head with moulded labels and head stops. The jambs are enriched with flowers and the cusping of the tracery carries rosettes at the points. Below the cornice is a deep band of panels with blind tracery. The octagonal spine of the spire has shaped finials at the broaches and three tiers of gabled spire-lights. The first two tiers are divided by a central shaft and have shafted jambs with quatrefoils or trefoils. The third tier windows are single lights with trefoiled ogee heads. The west doorway is recessed within the wall thickness and features a very fine outer ogee-headed cusped arch.

The clerestory and aisle have a plain moulded parapet. Five clerestory windows each contain two trefoiled lights with vertical tracery within a four-centred head and moulded label. The south aisle has a moulded plinth running continuously around the south transept, with three 15th-century windows each of three cinquefoiled lights in four-centred arches with moulded reveals and labels. The transept window has two lights in a four-centred head, possibly 17th-century but using earlier material. The south porch has a moulded plinth and plain parapet, with a two-centred arch of two wave-moulded outer orders and an inner order springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals. The chancel has raised walls and a plain parapet. It contains three windows: a 15th-century window of three cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head with moulded label and beast-stops; a 13th-century eastern window of two pointed lights with pierced spandrel in a two-centred head with moulded label and defaced head stops; and a third window not further described.

The interior reveals considerable detail. The nave arcades are mid-13th century on the north side, comprising five bays with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders. The east respond is semicircular, with round and octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases set on square plinths. The south arcade is mid-13th century in similar design. A south doorway has moulded jambs and a two-centred head with moulded label and head stops. The tower arch is two-centred with three chamfered orders and a moulded label to the nave. A circular staircase in the south-east angle has a quadripartite ribbed vault.

The chancel arch dates to circa 1300 and has three chamfered orders. Each respond carries three attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. A south doorway of 13th-century date has moulded and shafted jambs with stiff-leaf capitals and moulded bases, together with a moulded trefoiled arch, foliated spandrels, and moulded labels.

The roofs display considerable craftsmanship. The north transept roof is late 15th or early 16th century, comprising two bays with cambered tie beam and curved braces with foliated spandrels carved with an eagle. It features moulded purlins, principal rafters, and wall-plate, with a spandrel above the tie beam carved with foliage, a grotesque face, and two roses. The south transept roof and nave roof follow similar design, with two and five bays respectively, cambered and moulded tie beams, curved braces, wall-posts, ridge purlins, and bosses at the centres of the tie beams. The nave roof spandrels between braces and tie beams contain pierced traceried panels, and some painted decoration survives in the east truss. The north aisle roof is 16th-century, four bays enriched with foliate spandrels and moulded carved braces forming four-centred arches. The south aisle roof is 17th-century with four bays. The south porch roof has two bays with cambered tie beams, moulded rafters, and ridge piece, and has been restored. The north and south doors are 16th-century.

The font is 13th-century, octagonal with tapering sides. The chancel, north transept, and south transept retain 15th-century glass. Original 17th-century pews are found in the aisles, including one dated 1608, and later seating reuses 17th-century material. The sedilia in the chancel date to circa 1300, comprising three bays with the piscina forming a fourth bay. They are divided by small shafts with moulded caps and bases, with chamfered jambs, trefoiled heads, and carved spandrels. Two 18th-century carved stones are set in the south porch and south wall of the tower.

The church also contains brass indents, monuments, and floor slabs as documented in the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England survey for Huntingdonshire.