Description

SO 3288 BISHOP'S CASTLE C.P. BRAMPTON ROAD (south side)

12/8 Church of St. John
- The Baptist
28/7/50
GV II*

Parish church. Mediaeval tower mostly rebuilt in C17, rest of 1860 by
T Nicholson of Hereford. Coursed limestone rubble tower with ashlar
dressings and pyramidal slate cap; rest of squared and coursed limestone
with ashlar dressings, and slate roof with ridge cresting. Squat square
Gothic survival West tower; 5-bay nave with lean-to aisles, lower
pentagonal-apsed chancel, transeptal chapels, North porch, and North and
South vestries, in a Decorated Gothic style. Tower: 2 stages; plinth,
string courses, coped battlemented parapet, weathervane and flag pole.
2-light bell chamber openings to north and south, that to north with
trefoil-headed lights and returned square hoodmould; stair projection
to south-east with 4-rectangular lights. Chamfered 4-centred arched
bell chamber opening to west, first stage 4-centred 3-light diamond-
leaded west window, early C18 door below with 6-raised and fielded panels,
and bracketed, moulded, flat hood with 2-panelled soffit. Octagonal
clock dated 1847 and red line for fives game on first stage to north.
1860 church with plinth, cill string, trefoil-gabled angle buttresses
and parapeted gable-ends; octagonal stone stack to south transeptal
chapel. Nave and aisles: cinquefoiled circular windows; 2-light
aisle windows with decorated tracery and hoodmoulds with carved stops.
Gabled North porch in second bay from west; entrance has half-octagonal
shafts with moulded capitals and moulded arch with ballflower ornament,
trefoil-arched niche in gable above, and cill string carried over as
hoodmould. Side windows with 4 cinquefoil-headed lights; north doorway
has one order of shafts with bell capitals and moulded arch, hoodmould
with carved stops, and 2 boarded doors, with elaborate ironwork; side
benches within porch. Transeptal chapels: large windows in gable-ends
with 4 ogee-headed lights, and intersecting tracery; and hoodmoulds with
carved stops; cinquefoil-headed boarded west door to south transeptal
chapel. Chancel: tall 2-light windows with hoodmoulds and carved stops;
ballflower-ornamented corbel table. Lean-to vestries to north and south
with diagonal buttresses and 2 cinquefoil-headed windows flanking
central moulded-arched boarded doors. Interior: single framed roofs;
4 bay nave arcades with fifth arch to transeptal chapels at east,
clustered columns with bell capitals, and double chamfered arches;
chamfered arches at east end of aisles with carved-head corbels;
chamfered arches at east end of transeptal chapels into vestry and organ
chamber; 2-bay chancel arcades to north and south with clustered central
columns, double chamfered arches and hoodmoulds with carved stops; cill
string around apse with carved end stops; triple sedilia with marble
columns, trefoiled ogee arches and hoodmould with carved stops, chamfered
arched piscina, and chamfered-arched tomb recess to north of altar.
Fittings include: C12 tub font with C17. octagonal wooden cover; circa
1860 octagonal stone font with moulded base, step, ballflower ornamented
bowl with foiled sides, and carved heads around rim; circa 1860
octagonal pulpit with moulded base, 2-light pierced ogee-panelled sides,
ballflower ornament, and steps to north with wrought iron rail; probably
C18 parish chest. Stained glass: circa 1860 in apse; circa 1850 in
north aisle north window; south aisle with 2 windows of 1863 and one
of 1887 by Swain and Bourne or Birmingham. Monuments: series of late-
C18 and early-C19 wall tablet in north and south transeptal chapels;
decayed demi-figure of an Elizabethan Devine on west wall of south
transept and associated brass plaque on south wall. q.v. Wall and gateway
to south of church and The Vicarage. Crana e, Part 5, pp.378-80;
B.O.E., pp.75-6.

Listing NGR: SO3231888422

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17551126

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)