Church Of St John The Baptist

NITON AND WHITWELL

SZ5076 CHURCH STREET, Niton 1353-0/8/241 CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST 18/01/67

GV II*

Parish church. Nave C11, chancel C13 lengthened in C14 when south porch was also built. C15 south chapel, south aisle and tower spire added in C17. North aisle rebuilt in 1864 on the site of C13 north aisle which had been demolished in the C15. Cornewall Jones architect. Built of Isle of Wight stone rubble with ashlar dressings and tiled roof. Nave and chancel in one, aisles, south porch and west tower. West tower in 3 stages with angle buttresses. Moulded band to plinth and between lower and middle stages. South turret. Crenellated parapet. Ribbed 8 sided stone spire with iron weathercock. West door arched with heavy hood mould. North aisle of 1864 has 3 lancet windows. South aisle has 3 C15 paired cinquefoil-headed windows with drip moulding. Buttresses. South porch is gabled with cross-shaped saddlestone. Arch with dying mouldings. Chancel has east window with triple trefoil headed light ribbed on the inside. Vestry by chancel C19 with triple cinquefoil light window with reset grotesque mask above. Interior: 3 bay nave with plain round headed arches with circular columns to south and 1 circular column and 1 chamfered square column to north. Norman font of cauldron shape with rope moulding at the top. Coat of arms of George III. C13 chancel arch with chamfered corners. Squint. Bowl-shaped piscina. South chapel has piscina and 4 wall monuments, the best being a medallion by Flaxman to George Arnold Esq. d.1806. Roofs boarded over in nave and aisles, probably C19, and C19 chancel roof canted in 8 cants with elaborate floriate bosses. C19 pews and pulpit. Fine C17 chair carved with oak emblems and another with swansneck top. (Pevsner: B.O.E. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: 754).

Listing NGR: SZ5052176771