Church of St. John the Baptist

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of Llanhennock village on the crown of the ridge.

History

Apparently C15 Perpendicular work in origin but this may be partly a reworking of something older. The church was largely rebuilt 1863 by J Prichard and J R Seddon apart from some walling round the south door, the north tower and the chancel. Prichard and Seddon added or rebuilt the north aisle and almost all the nave, and restored the chancel and tower, adding the vestry and the tower parapet. The church has remained almost unaltered since.

Exterior

Built of red sandstone squared rock-faced rubble with a battered plinth to the nave and porch, the tower is of neatly squared and coursed blocks, limestone dressings to the Victorian work, Welsh slate roofs. Nave with north aisle and south porch, chancel with north vestry, west tower.
Nave south wall has gabled porch on the left with pointed arch doorway, coped gable and single light windows in the returns. The south wall has two 2-light windows with trefoil headed lights. 2-bay north aisle with 2-light trefoil headed windows, single light one in west wall.
Chancel with lower roof line. Blind south wall with a blocked priest's door (see Interior) and an added stepped buttress. Restored 3-light Perpendicular east window, coped gable above with cross on apex. North wall covered by vestry.
Square west tower with stair turret at north-east corner. Three stages with drip courses at the bell stage and the parapet level. Two-light recessed and louvred bell openings with cinque foiled heads to each face. Rebuilt castellated parapet with the stair turret rising above the rest.

Interior

The nave is all plastered and limewashed, the chancel is bare stone. Timber barrel vault roof with plaster panels and brattished wallplates to the nave. This roof is a convincing early C16 reproduction and may reuse some original fabric. Two-bay north aisle with single slender circular column. Chancel with open timber scissor-truss roof of clear Victorian provenance. Probably rebuilt 2-centred chancel arch and more authentic tower arch, the latter with recessed head dying into the jambs. The furnishings are all of 1863, tiles, pews, choir stalls, communion rail, and font (dated 1863); except for the pulpit, which is a Portland stone one of 1950-60 and the three C20 glazed windows. The chancel south wall shows revealed the blocked priest's door with 4-centred head and the jamb of a window.

Reason for designation

Included as a finely sited late medieval church that was much rebuilt by Prichard and Seddon in 1863 but which retains charm and character.