Church Of St John The Baptist

MESHAW MESHAW SS 71 NE 4/40 Church of St. John the Baptist 20.2.67 - II Parish church. Medieval foundation, tower rebuilt 1691 in memory of James Courtenay, nave-cum-chancel in one, rebuilt 1838, vestry added mid C19, new sanctuary and a porch added in 1879. Coursed local stone rubble, snecked rubble to porch and sanctuary, freestone dressings, slate roofs to coped verges, lead ridges, cruciform finials. Plan: nave, chancel, south porch, north vestry, plain and simple low tower, austere Commissioners Early English style with High Victorian Gothic Early English porch and chancel. Exterior: 2 stage west tower with small diagonal buttresses to the bottom stage, embattled capping which appears rebuilt, weathercock on a tall wood pole, small simple rectangular bell-chamber openings with louvres, C14 style west window inserted probably in 1879; above an incised stone plaque commemorating the rebuilding. Buttressed 4-bay continuous nave-and-chancel, lancets with simple Y- tracery, except 2 at the east end with the tracery removed. Sanctuary of lower height with a triple-lancet, east window. Porch in conforming style to south with pointed-arch inner and outer door openings. Small north vestry. Interior: plain plastered interior on slate floors. Nave with depressed 4-centred arch shaped plaster ceiling; braced truss on carved corbels marking the division with the chancel, panelled ceiling to sanctuary with thin ribs. Octagonal style Perpendicular type font which may be recut from an original. Victorian High Gothic pulpit of 1879; High Gothic sanctuary with contemporary altar rails, encaustic tile pavement, altar table, reredos with decalogue plaques and 3-light stained glass east window. Pews, choir stalls and organ replaced in 1904. Large wood lecturn carved as an eagle, probably Victorian but may be earlier. Good monument to James Courtenay of 1658, coloured and gilded, flanking Corinithian columns support a pediment capped by achievements. Three early C20 wall monuments. Small painted Royal Arms of 1838. 3 stained glass windows of 1854, 1861, and 1879. Encaustic tile pavement under tower.

Listing NGR: SS7586019685