Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist, in Abinger, is originally a chapel of ease to Wotton, dating back to approximately 1220. It was substantially enlarged in 1879 by Basil Champneys. The church is constructed of hard chalk and firestone rubble with mortar rendering, featuring Horsham slab roofs and a weatherboarded, wood-shingled bellcote to the west end. Timber-framed porches are positioned on the north and west sides.

The original church was a rectangular single room. The structure now comprises a parallel north aisle and a vestry, a bellcote to the west, and porches on both the north and west sides. Sloping 18th-century buttresses are found at the east and west ends. A three-light trefoil-headed window is located at the west end, while the north aisle features a C19 window within a deep, coved surround, with three quatrefoil lights set between Perpendicular tracery both above and below. The south side of the church showcases C13 lancet fenestration, with three windows; two are round-arched, and one is pointed. Two lancets are present in the chancel, to the east of the vestry. An east-facing C15 three-foiled light window is set between buttresses, under a label moulding. The north aisle's east end has a C19 ogee-tracery window. Several old lancets have been reused in the new north side, alternating with buttresses. A gabled porch to the north side of the north aisle incorporates a billeted cambered tie beam and a gable crucifix. Arched, traceried iron gates lead to a wooden north door. A shallow gabled porch to the west end displays wavy-edged bargeboards. The circa 1480 door is set within a four-centred, moulded surround.

Inside, the church features a five-bay crown-post roof with a square panelled ceiling and a moulded wall plate. A keel-shaped stringcourse runs along the chancel, which is laid with yellow and white stone "sets." A three-bay north aisle arcade rests on two octagonal pillars with half-round pier responds and chamfered arches. There is also a two-bay north chancel arcade with attached half-round columns to the centre pier. A wooden screen divides the piers on the north side of the chancel and the east end of the north aisle. Triangular internal hoods are positioned above the lancets. St Andrew’s cross bracing is visible on the exposed bellcage to the west. Notable fittings include a fine piscina with a credence shelf above, positioned on the south chancel wall under a trefoiled head, with two drains dished in square form, and bordered by a bowtel moulding between two hollows. A C19 gallery extends to the west end. A panelled hexagonal pulpit has a sounding board above. The C19 black marble font has a thick, spiral-fluted round stem with egg and dart moulding to the tub. A red ochre wall painting depicting "The Visitation" is on the south wall, portraying life-size figures of St. Mary and St. Elizabeth. Fragments of old C13 grisaille glass, with white borders, remain in two of the southern lancets.