Church of St John

Cadw's description

Location

On island at crossroads of Woodfield Street and Morfydd Street.

History

Church consecrated 10 July 1862, replacing late C18 church on site. By R K Penson, diocesan architect. Brown random rubble, bathstone dressings, slate roofs. Tower added circa 1872. Aligned N-S, with 4-bay nave, chancel, east aisle (projected west aisle not built), and porch, tower. Victorian Gothic style.

Exterior

East elevation has clerestorey lancets; aisle with 2-light window to L return; gabled porch (roof sweeps down to R over store) Gothic doorway; boarded doors with elaborate strap hinges, to R of porch, two 2-light windows separated by buttress. At angle between aisle and chancel, embattled tower has stair turret to NE corner with steep polygonal roof; pinnacles to other corners; 2-light louvred windows to bell stage, lancets to N and S but round window to E; lancets to ground floor; buttresses, and small window in splay.
Chancel has doorway with lancet to L, 2-light window to R; N end has 3-light chancel window with geometrical tracery, roof sweeps over vestry to W (small Gothic window to N return). Small trefoil window in apex of nave gable above chancel. Plain west wall of nave (window to N) with relieving arches and clerestorey lancets; chimney to N. South end has stepped buttresses, and two-light window with quatrefoil, wall to L is toothed for unbuilt aisle.

Interior

Simple interior. Arch-braced roof to nave; scissor trusses to chancel. Plastered walls with painted stone dressings. Segmental heads to clerestorey windows. Alternating round and octagonal piers to aisle arcade. Steps up to chancel. S bay of aisle and base of tower partitioned for kitchen/storage.