Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a parish church largely dating to the 15th century, with a 14th-century core. It was substantially rebuilt in 1439, at which time the aisles, west tower, and south porch were constructed. The church is built of ashlar stone with freestone dressings, and has a tiled roof. The building consists of a nave and chancel, which are unified. The chancel features a 14th-century north window and a 19th-century four-light, curvelinear traceried east window. The north and south aisles are distinguished by embattled parapets, thin buttresses with set-offs, and 19th-century geometric traceried windows. A polygonal stair turret, serving the rood loft, is situated on the north aisle. A four-centre arch south doorway is accentuated by quatrefoil spandrels and a hood mould with head stops. The two-storeyed south porch has an embattled parapet, buttresses with set-offs, and a two-centred arch doorway with a two-light window above, featuring narrow niches in the jambs and a carved lintel soffit. The tall, three-stage west tower has weathered stringcourses, set-back buttresses with set-offs, an embattled parapet without pinnacles, two-light bell-openings with four-centred heads, a three-light Perpendicular traceried west window, and a moulded two-centred arch west doorway. A polygonal stair turret on the south side is topped with battlements and later has a small gabled porch at its base. A slate sundial dated 1721 is affixed to the south side of the south aisle.

Inside, there are five bays of north and south arcades, with the east bays being narrower. These are characterised by moulded two-centred arches and piers featuring four shafts with wavy moulding, only the shafts of which possess capitals, most of which are carved. The nave, chancel, and both aisles have 15th-century moulded waggon roofs with carved bosses at the intersections and on the moulded wall plate. A tall, plain, unmoulded tower arch is present. A chamfered pointed arch piscina with a shelf is also a feature. Good quality rood and parclose screens remain, exhibiting traces of colour, Perpendicular tracery, and tracerled wainscot, along with a carved cornice depicting vines and birds pecking at grapes, with cresting above, although the coving is missing. A four-centred arch doorway to the rood loft is located at the north end. The Norman sandstone font possesses a seven-sided bowl with ribs on the underside, a round stem, and a cushion base. Furnishings of a late 19th-century Perpendicular style are present, including an organ under the tower arch. Recumbent effigies from the 14th and 13th centuries are set on the south and north window cills, including depictions of two knights in armour: Sir John Arundel, dated 1243, depicted cross-legged with a shield, and another figure from circa 1400, alongside a lady from the 14th century. A Gothick monument commemorates Charles Cornish of Gatcombe House, dated 1818. Late 15th-century stained glass, originally from St John’s Church, Marldon, includes depictions of St Stephen and St Christopher.