Description

SD 44 NW PILLING SCHOOL LANE (off)

3/24 Old Church of St. John Baptist
17.4.1967 (Previously listed as Old Church of
GV II* St.John Baptist ,now used as mortuary
chapel)

Church, 1717 with early C19th alterations. Squared red sandstone, rendered
on N., E., and W. sides, with plinth, chamfered quoins, and other dressings
of grey sandstone. Slate roof. South wall of 5 bays. Windows have plain
stone surrounds with semi-circular heads, keystones and impost blocks, and
a central chamfered mullion. The west bay has a similar shorter window over
the door, with no mullion and of a redder stone. The door has a plain
stone surround with semi-circular head, imposts carved with crute Ionic
volutes, and a keystone inscribed "1717". Above is a sandstone sundial
plaque inscribed "Thus ETERNITY approacheth. G. Holden 1766". The east
window is similar to those on the south, but with 2 chamfered mullions. The
west gable has a bellcote with segmental coping, probably early C19th.
The north wall is of 5 bays, probably altered in early C19th when the gallery
was inserted. The lower windows have rebated and chamfered jambs and flat
lintels of red sandstone. Above are lunette windows with plain stone
surrounds and keystones. Interior has a flat plaster ceiling, and an early
C.19th gallery on the north and west sides supported on timber Tuscan columns
and with a front of raised panels in grained timber. Fixed oak benches,
with a simple plank for seat and back, appear to be original. At the
north-east side are 3 box pews of raised panels, one with "17 IA 19"
inscribed on the door. A 2-decker pulpit has similar panelling. At the
north-west of the church are 2 box pews of grained timber. The communion
table is enclosed by railings with turned balusters. The C18th sandstone
font is in the shape of an urn. Replaced by the new Church of St. John
(q.v.) in 1887, this is an unusual survival of a small Georgian church.

Listing NGR: SD4027348477

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Old St John the Baptist's Church, Pilling at Wikipedia
• Old St John the Baptist's Church, Pilling official website
• Wikidata Q12064755

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5