Church of Saint John Evangelist

The Church of Saint John Evangelist is a robustly detailed and crafted church built in 1860-2. Funded by the Third Earl of Powis for the largely industrial population of Pool Quay, it was designed by S. Pountney Smith of Shrewsbury. The church is constructed of coursed and squared red Sweeney Mountain sandstone with slate roofs, and is executed in an Early English style. It comprises a nave with a lean-to north aisle under a continuous roof, a western bellcote, and cross-gables to the undivided chancel. A south porch features chamfered, white-painted timberwork on a high stone base, with an inner shallow stone porch and a double-chamfered archway to the doorway. A raking slate base supports a traceried, painted wood turret capped with an octagonal spirelet featuring open-work tracery and a slate roof. A stair turret is located in the northwest angle of the nave and aisle, canted in plan and featuring a band of wood traceried lights with a pierced quatrefoil frieze below the roof. Wide lancet windows are present on the south side, and paired, similar windows are found in the north aisle, both with continuous hood moulds and sill bands. A simple corbel table runs along the top of the walls. Clasping buttresses are present on both the west and east sides. A three-light plate traceried window is set in the west wall, and triple lancets are present in the chancel, enriched with nail-head decoration in the hood moulds, and recessed shafts to the arches; a wheel window sits above. Triple lancet windows are set high in the south cross gables of the chancel, with banded lancets in the lean-to organ chamber below. A plate traceried window is found in the north gable.

The interior features a five-bay north arcade, including a blind western bay, and an undivided chancel. Octagonal piers with simple ring-moulded capitals carry chamfered arches, the easternmost bay having stiff-leaf abaci. The roof is supported by wall shafts sprung from corbels, incorporating wood vaulting and boarding. The lean-to aisle roof has curved trusses sprung from corbels. The chancel is accessed by steps and includes a combined pulpit and lectern to the south, featuring open-work arched panels with nail-head decoration and pierced quatrefoils. Encaustic tiles are laid in the chancel, which has an organ chamber to the south, housing an organ by Nicholson of Worcester. A half-bay sanctuary includes sedilia to the south, along with gilded and painted metal panels that form a reredos (installed in 1891) and similar Commandment boards in the north aisle, gifted by Lord Powis. The font is a simple basin on a stepped octagonal base, with nail-head moulding and an ornate wrought-iron hood. Contemporary furnishings include fine brass candle standards at intervals in the pews. Stained glass is present in the east windows (installed in 1891, in memory of the Third Earl of Powis) and in the wheel window above (1899). The church is of historical interest for its association with the Powis estate and possesses group value.