St John's Church of Ireland

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An early Victorian church of masonry construction in Gothic Revival style comprising a nave and chancel, a south aisle with a projecting gabled porch, and a vestry in the north-east angle of the nave and chancel, with buttresses at the main corners and also marking the main bay divisions. It stands in a rural area set back from the public road within its own open grassed grounds.

Walls are of coursed rubble blackstone with sandstone gable copings, dressings to openings, projecting plinth, and weathered buttresses. Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, the roofs of the nave and chancel and porch being steeply pitched, with the aisle roof of much lower pitch. A gabled bellcote of regular coursed sandstone on the west gable of the nave contains a bell in a Gothic headed opening. Both the bellcote and the east gable of the nave are surmounted by a small square chimney at the apex. Rainwater goods are of cast iron, comprising moulded gutters and circular downpipes.

The south elevation consists of a four-bay aisle built across the full length of the nave with a gabled porch projecting from it. The main entrance faces south, located in the south porch. Extending to the east and set back is the single bay chancel. Windows in the aisle, chancel and porch are Gothic arched lancets, either single or coupled, set in irregular block surrounds, and contain lozenge pattern clear glazing in metal frames except for the second bay from the right in the aisle, which has stained glass. Above the window in the east wall of the aisle is a small quatrefoil of painted glass. The main entrance, in the porch gable, contains a Gothic arched ledged timber door, with decoratively treated ironwork hinges, set in a moulded gothic arched opening with ragged edged surrounds. It is approached by two stone steps and has an apron of modern tiling below the threshold.

The west gable of the nave contains a Gothic arched plate traceried window comprising two Gothic lancets surmounted by an oculus, containing lozenge pattern glazing which incorporates stained glass medallions, but is covered by later storm glazing.

The north elevation comprises the nave with the chancel extending to the east partly obscured by a projecting vestry. All windows have lozenge pattern metal frames with clear glass, except for those of the third bay from the west in the nave which has stained glass. The nave is of four bays, each lit by tall coupled lancets except the second bay from the west which contains a doorway surmounted by a pair of two shorter coupled lancets. The doorway contains a Gothic arched timber boarded door with large decoratively treated ironwork hinges and multiple bolt heads decorating the surface. It is approached by two stone steps.
The vestry roof is of lower pitch than the nave and chancel. The east side of the vestry contains a shouldered rectangular timber boarded door, with large hinges and multiple bolt heads, set in a moulded stone surround of the same shape. It is approached by two stone steps. The south and west faces of the vestry contain small coupled lancets. The chancel contains one lancet window and also a basement doorway. The doorway is segmental arched in blackstone, with undressed blackstone jambs, and contains a timber boarded door with exposed bolt heads. it is approached by a flight of stone steps contained by a blackstone retaining wall with sandstone coping. Affixed to the chancel wall is a large circular metal flue pipe which rises above eaves level.

The east gable of the chancel contains three tall Gothic arched lancet windows, containing lattice pattern decorative painted glazing, all set within a large Gothic blackstone relieving arch. The apex of the gable is embellished with a sandstone finial of fleur-de-lys form.

SETTING:
The church is approached from one public road to the east by a tarmac path which extends all around the perimeter of the building. It is also approached from another public road, to the south-west, by a grass path along the edge of a field, which connects with a narrow tarmac path within the churchyard. The grounds are laid out with lawns which contain 19th and 20th century memorials. The front boundary to the main road is formed by a low rubble stone wall, backed by a hedge, which is breached near the south end to give access to a small bus shelter. The main gateway contains a pair of original spear-head iron gates, inscribed 'Hill & Smith', Brierleyhill', set in a pair of octagonal piers of regular coursed squared sandstone. Other boundaries are formed by hedges and fences. The smaller pedestrian path to the south-west is marked by a small gateway containing an original ironwork gate of scrolling design, set in a pair of monolithic octagonal sandstone piers.

To the north-east of the church in an area of the grounds now fenced off from the graveyard is a large rendered modern church hall.

Historical information

Built in 1849 to the designs of Joseph Welland of Dublin, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

References - Primary Sources
1. OS Map of 1906.

Secondary Sources
1. Information from the rector in 2007.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An early Victorian church of masonry construction in Gothic Revival style. It is well proportioned, with a plan form typical of the Tractarian movement, displaying the clear distinction between the various parts of the building which was a characteristic of the 'Ecclessiological' approach to church building at the time. The inclusion of what appears to be painted glass contemporary with the original building is an element of some rarity at the time. The arrangement of the pulpit being approached only from the rear by a stairway not visible from the nave, unusual in Episcopalian architecture of this period, is of interest. Although it enjoys a pleasant rural setting, and is of social value in the immediate area, the interest of this building is more than local, as it is a good and intact example of the work of Joseph Welland of Dublin, the official and leading Church of Ireland architect at the time, who designed churches all over Ireland, while in the wider context of the Gothic Revival in Ireland in general, it contains a rare example of a rood screen.