Church Of St John The Baptist

COLN ST ALDWYNS CHURCH ROAD SP 1405-1505 (west end) 12/138 Church of St John the Baptist 26.1.61 GV II* Parish church. Late C12; C13 chancel and tower addition; C15 belfry and alterations; extensive 1853-1868 restoration. Random rubble and ashlar limestone; stone slate roof. Nave with south tower and porch; north transept, vestry and chancel. Extensively restored late C12 round arched south doorway with 3 orders, keeled shafts having waterleaf capitals; 2 heavily undercut inner orders of chevrons. Hoodmould with beast head terminals. Ancient plank door with some early ironmongery. C19 parapet gabled south porch with Early English style pointed arch. Fragments of moulded nave string course; C15 crenellated parapet with beast's head water outlet. C19 restored traceried window to right of porch has small blocked C12 window to right with carved arched head depicting a demon pursuing a man. Reticulated tracery to west window in crenellated gable end. Two C19 restored Decorated-traceried north nave windows in buttressed wall. Decorated windows to north transept with crenellated parapet. Three stage south tower. Late C12 or early C13 base with clasping buttresses; blocked round arched south doorway; C19 east porch canopy below earlier weather moulding. Late C13 middle stage with 2 tall lancets to each face, blocked on west side, hoodmould being continuous rising over lancets. Second stage said to carry initials of John de Gamages, abbot of Gloucester 1284-1306. Perpendicular belfry with 2-light opening to each face with stone louvres; fine pierced parapet with crocket corner pinnacles carrying shields on outer faces. String course has 2 carved grotesque heads per face. Moulded length of parapet extends to north from tower linking with small sanctus bellcote. Plain Early English lancets to chancel, 2 to parapet gabled east wall; Tudor arched south priest's doorway. Catslide roof to north vestry. Interior: dark and plain interior results from extensive C19 restoration. Wagon roof to nave and chancel; flat panelled north transept ceiling. C19 chancel, transept and tower arches. Chancel refurnished in memory of first Earl St. Aldwyn, died 1916 with extensive use of linenfold panelling. Other fittings mostly C19. Of some interest is the C19 octagonal stone font with a Greek palindrome inscribed on the base. East stained glass windows commemorate John Keble's period as vicar here, 1782 to 1835, by Powell. Another chancel and east vestry window by Powell and Sons, 1854-56. North nave window by Wailes of Newcastle. Fine 2-tiered c1767 chandelier. (A.R.J. Jurica, 'Coln St. Aldwyns; in V.C.H. Glos. vii, 1981, pp 44-55; D. Verey, Cotswold Churches 1976 and Gloucesteshire: The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: SP1435305156