Description

DEVIZES

657/3/53 ST JOHN'S CHURCHYARD
09-APR-54 CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

I

Major Norman church very likely due to Bishop Roger of Sarum. Massive crossing
tower. Big Norman windows with decorated arches. Paired bell stage openings
flanked by blank arches. 3 arches to north and south, 5 to east and west
as tower is rectangular in plan. Round stair turret higher than tower. The
transept fronts have partially destroyed pairs of Norman windows and a small
Norman window in gable. Again the arches are decorated. Norman buttresses
to chancel and small window in east gable. Other Norman windows Victorian.
The body of the church is Perpendicular. The west front in Perpendicular
style is of 1863 by Slater. Perpendicular north and south transept windows.
Perpendicular porches, 2 storeyed on north side. Chancel flanked by chapels.
The south Beauchamp chapel is very similar to the Beauchamp and Tocotes chapel
at Bromham of 1492. Very ornate. 2 bays with 4 and 5 light windows, densely
decorated battlements and pinnacles. On the east side a tall canopied niche.
The north Lamb Chapel is less ornate. Battlements and pinnacles, buttresses
decorated with pinnacled buttress-shafts in relief.
Inside the Norman crossing has rounded arches east and west but to north and
south they are pointed, a very early example in England. Norman chancel with
low rib vaulting. Scallop and foliage capitals to wall shafts. Blind arcading
of intersecting arches with zigzag, scale pattern in spandrels and above arches.
The arcading on south wall opened as screen to Beauchamp Chapel where the
corbel table of the Norman chancel and transept is still visible decorated
with grotesque heads. The Chapel is as ornate inside as out with fine roof
of traceried panels. The Lamb Chapel also has a fine panelled ceiling. 6
bay arcades to nave, square piers, semi-circular shafts and polygonal abaci,
late C14. Westernmost bay of 1863 contemporary with West front. Perpendicular
pulpit shallow gabled blank arches. Late Cl7 organ case with rich acanthus
ornament to upper part. Heathcote Monument by King 1768. Other late C18
monuments by Westmacott Senior, Richard Westmacott, Prince Hoare and Baily.

Listing NGR: SU0048261237

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529797

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)