Church of Saint John the Divine

Church of Saint John the Divine

Parish church built in coursed local rubble stone from Lodge Park quarry with Bath stone dressings and red plain-tile roof. The building comprises a nave with timber roof and slate covering, a west bell-tower on the ridge, and a chancel with a lean-to north organ-chamber and vestry. The roof is finished with crested ridge tiles and two terracotta crosses.

The exterior is detailed with tooled quoins and a high plinth with chamfered ashlar coping. The west end features a pair of lancet windows beneath a hipped roof with a thin band of tiles below a weatherboarded bell tower. This tower has small louvred bell openings, a slate pyramid roof, an iron finial and weathercock. Two narrow lights sit at the base of the west side. On the south elevation, a raised gabled surround with ashlar coping frames a deep-chamfered pointed doorway with a triple-chamfered head and hoodmould. The doorway contains double painted grained doors with wrought iron scroll hinges. To the right are three lancets and a large southeast buttress with plinth, two chamfers and sloping cap. The chancel has a double plinth with paired lancets on the left and a single lancet on the right. The east end displays triple stepped lancets with a similar buttress on the right. The lean-to north vestry has a two-light window to the east, a north Caernarfon-arched doorway with painted grained iron-studded door, a three-light window to the right, and a single west light. All windows have chamfered rectangular lights. The north nave elevation has four lancets.

The broad interior has plastered painted walls with ashlar pointed heads to window openings. The nave has a seven-sided collar-rafter roof, with the west end featuring four arch-braced beams carrying the bell-tower. The south door has a roll-moulded segmental-pointed surround. A broad pointed chancel arch with chamfered outer order carried down to a bar stop spans the interior, with the inner order carried on moulded corbelled capitals. One step leads to the chancel, which has a seven-sided rafter roof. An ashlar double-chamfered segmental-pointed north opening connects to the organ chamber. The vestry entry is reached by one step. The vestry contains a corner fireplace and cupboard above. One step leads to the sanctuary with altar rails, and one further step to the altar. Tiled floors throughout. A small trefoil-headed piscina recess occupies the south wall, and the south single light has its reveal carried down as a seat.

The fittings are notable. A massive bowl font with chamfered upper edge has roll mouldings at top and bottom, the latter sitting over a capital moulding above a red sandstone short shaft on a moulded ashlar base. The pulpit has an ashlar canted base with plinth and incised bead moulding, carrying an open timber canted-fronted top with ringed shafts at the angles and between a pair of panels on the south. Stone steps lead up to it. A remarkable lectern of around 1900 features a coloured ceramic eagle with claws on a serpent, probably made by Doulton of Lambeth to a design by George Tinworth. It stands on an ashlar column base with three spur feet pierced with Gothic tracery. The altar rails are in oak with six uprights, short ringed columns carrying octagonal tops with pierced brackets. A reredos of 1920 is ornate alabaster in a moulded frame with pierced Gothic cresting, the centre long panel carved in relief with the Last Supper and outer panels with carved angels. A grey marble moulded cornice and octagonal side piers with moulded bases and caps support a coloured marble shelf with alabaster below and brackets. The organ was made by Nicholson & Co in 1921. Chancel stalls have open-fronted kneelers and benches with quatrefoils pierced in the back and ends. Pine pews have shaped bench ends and panelled backs.

The stained glass includes the east window to Pryse Pryse Pryse depicting the Nativity, Crucifixion and Resurrection, made by Hardman in 1900. A two-light chancel south window by Hardman to Sir Pryse Pryse Baronet shows Christ and the Lamb of God, dated 1906. A nave window installed in 1979 by Celtic Studios depicts Christ and a small school scene.