Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a church that dates from the 15th and 16th centuries, with a tower built in 1737 by mason Richard Belcher, and restored and enlarged in 1875 by E.G. Bruton. It is constructed of limestone rubble with ashlar dressings and features old plain-tile roofs. The church comprises a chancel, an aisled nave, and a west tower.

The short 16th-century chancel includes a plain 4-centre arched doorway on the north side, flanked by square-headed windows with one and two lights, which have recessed spandrels, shallow cusping, and deep casement mouldings. There is also a simpler window with two arched lights on the north side, while the east window is a 19th-century traceried window in the Perpendicular style. A quoin at the southeast corner is inscribed with the year 1600. The north side of the nave and the north aisle feature plain paired lancets from 1875 and a matching entrance door. The 15th-century north aisle has two square-headed windows with two trefoil-headed lights and a traceried east window, along with a north doorway that has a hollow-chamfered arch. All gable parapets were added in the 19th century.

The two-stage tower is designed in Baroque style, featuring a plinth, a moulded string, and a solid panelled parapet that rises above a cornice supported by moulded corbels. The corners of the tower are adorned with stone urn finials that have flame terminals. The top stage includes four round-arched openings with projecting keyblocks, and the western doorway, which has projecting imposts and a keyblock, is infilled with a smaller 19th-century doorway.

Inside, there is a 15th-century chancel arch and a three-bay north arcade supported by octagonal piers. The south arch and three-bay south arcade, which have square capitals, were added in the 19th century, and the roofs are plain and also from the 19th century. A 12th-century tub font is present, along with figures from two early 15th-century brasses mounted on the north wall. A late 18th-century wall tablet, signed "Henry Westmacott," features a carved achievement surrounded by ribbons. There is also a large early 18th-century black marble ledger for John and Margaret D'Oyly, which has a carved shield of arms. The royal arms of Queen Elizabeth I are displayed with a gadrooned frame and retain much of their original colouring. Additionally, there is a 15th-century parish chest.