Church Of St John The Baptist

SO 8408-8508 PITCHCOMBE A4173 (east side)

9/182 Church of St John the Baptist

28.6.60

GV II

Parish church. 1819 by William Franklin; chancel and porch added 1870 by Medland and Son. Ashlar limestone; stone slate roof. Nave with west tower, south porch and chancel. Two large 3-light pointed windows to north and south nave walls each with reticulated tracery. Two shallow buttresses to each side, lining through with tower, formerly had moulded finial tops - now removed. Tower projects slightly from west end, tall 2-light west window being set over pointed arched west doorway with brattished top. Perpendicular style 2-light west nave window to each side of tower. Pilaster angle tower buttresses and tall belfry openings result in rather attenuated effect. Hollow moulded cornice below crenellated top, stumpy corners formerly with openwork pinnacles - also removed. Parapet gabled south porch; pointed archway and similar doorway within. Large east window with geometrical tracery. Interior: broad nave with trussed roof. Baptistery and sacristy set in west part of nave, either side of tower, each with high pointed archway. Wide moulded chancel arch. Some good monuments, mostly early C19. Stained glass to east window; north west window has glass by Butler and Bayne, 1898. A rather plain gaunt church in a prominent position overlooking the Painswick valley. Replaced a medieval church with saddleback tower. (D. Verey, Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: SO8515208255