Description

SO 28 NE MAINSTONE C.P. CHURCHTOWN

3/234 Church of St John
21.3.68 The Baptist

GV II*

Parish church. 1887, on an earlier site and incorporating earlier fabric
and fittings. Snecked rock-faced limestone (coursed rubble to north) with
sandstone ashlar dressings; stone slate roof, plain tile to south. Late
C15 Gothic style. 3-bay nave, 2-bay chancel, south porch and north vestry.
Large buttresses with 2 set-offs, parapet between nave and chancel; western
bellcote projecting as buttress to west with weathering at roof level,
set-off to pair of square-headed bell-openings and set-off to gable.
Nave: square-headed windows with chamfered reveals and 2 trefoil-
headed lights; trefoiled ogee-headed lancet to west with chamfered
reveals; central south doorway with chamfered arch and pair of boarded
doors; stone south porch with inventive timber framed gable-end consisting
of chamfered ogee arch-braces with pierced quatrefoils in spandrels and
cambered tie-beam with king post above; double-framed roof and side-
benches inside porch. Chancel: trefoil ogee-headed lancets with
chamfered reveals; east window with 3 ogee-headed lights; lean-to
vestry to north with cinquefoil-headed window to west and boarded door
to north with chamfered surround. Interior: C15 six-bay nave roof
with arch-braced collars, cusped V-struts, moulded bases to arch braces,
2 pairs of moulded purlins, 3 tiers of cusped windbraces forming
quatrefoil panels, and blind ogee-arcaded panelled frieze above wall
plate; 3-bay C19 or-restored C15 chancel roof as nave with arch-braced
collars, V-struts, moulded purlins and cusped windbraces; double-chamfered
chancel arch has short shafts with carved-head corbels and foliated capitals,
and hoodmould with carved heads as stops; chamfered-arched boarded vestry
doorway; ogee-arched north piscina. Fittings include: restored C12 tub
font with C19 base and cover; Cl7 communion table; Cl7 parish chest;
painted C18 Royal Coat-of-Arms above chancel arch; early C19 painted
commandment and creed boards; C19 octagonal stone pulpit with pierced
ogee panels; C19 wrought iron communion rails; 2 late C18 wall tablets;
C20 neo-Rococo organ case. The stone from which the parish is said to
derive its name is kept in the church; it has been suggested that it
was used as the measure for a bag of wheat (20 lbs plus 4 ½ lbs for the
bag). The church is Grade II* on account of its fine C15 roof.
Cranage, Vol.5, Pp.447-8.

Listing NGR: SO2646387347

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17541210

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

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)