Church of Saint John the Baptist, Liverpool Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint John the Baptist, Tuebrook
Saint John the Baptist, Tuebrook
53°25′29″N 2°55′48″W / 53.4248°N 2.9301°W / 53.4248; -2.9301
OS grid reference	SJ 382 924
Location	Tuebrook, Liverpool
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Traditional Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St John the Baptist
Consecrated	20 May 1871
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	28 June 1958
Architect(s)	George Frederick Bodley
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1867
Completed	1870
Construction cost	£25,000
Specifications
Materials	Red and buff stone Tile and slate roofs
Administration
Deanery	West Derby
Archdeaconry	Liverpool
Diocese	Liverpool
Province	York

The Church of Saint John the Baptist is an active Anglican parish church in Tuebrook, Liverpool, England. It's a special building because it was designed by a famous architect named George Frederick Bodley in the 1860s. This church is so important that it's a Grade I listed building, which means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England.

The church grounds also include the old vicarage (where the vicar lived) and a small mortuary house, both also designed by Bodley. Fun fact: the church hall, called the Brockman Memorial Hall, was one of the first places the Beatles ever played!

History of the Church
Saint John's Today
Amazing Architecture
- Outside the Church
- Inside the Church
The Church Organ
- Organists
- About the Organ
The Vicarage
The Mortuary House
The Brockman Hall and The Beatles
Images for kids
See also

History of the Church

The Church of Saint John the Baptist was built between 1867 and 1870. The entire cost, which was a huge £25,000 back then, was paid for by the wife of Reverend J. C. Reade. The church's beautiful inside was redecorated in 1910 by Henry Hare and later restored again in 1968–71.

There was a bit of a disagreement before the church was officially opened. The architect, Bodley, wanted to use an old altarpiece (a decorated screen behind the altar) from the 1500s. It had carvings showing the story of Jesus's suffering. However, the Bishop of Chester thought it was "too Catholic" for an Anglican church and wouldn't let the church open until it was removed. That altarpiece is now in another church in Brighton.

Saint John's Today

The church still follows the same traditional Anglo-Catholic style it started with. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church had to offer fewer services. But they started live streaming their Sunday Mass online so people could still join in from home. St John's also helps the community by hosting a weekly food bank in the church hall. They even have a Sunday School for younger kids.

Amazing Architecture

St John's church is officially recognized as a Grade I listed building because of its amazing design.

Outside the Church

The church is built with red and buff-coloured stone, arranged in cool stripes. The main roof is made of tiles, and the side roofs are slate. It has a tall central part called a clerestory with windows, and side sections called aisles. There's a tower at the front, a porch on the north side, and a special area for the altar called the chancel.

The tower has strong supports called buttresses and a main entrance at the bottom. Higher up, there are openings for the bells. The very top has a fancy wall with pointed decorations called pinnacles. The tall, pointed roof (called a spire) sits behind these pinnacles. There's also a small stair tower on the side of the main tower. The porch has a flat roof and a small carved space (a niche) with a statue above the entrance.

Inside the Church

Experts describe the inside of St John's as "glorious" and "richly coloured." This is because of all the amazing decorations and special church furniture designed by Bodley. The walls and ceilings are covered in beautiful patterns, and there's a large painting on the east wall by C. E. Kempe. The golden screen behind the altar, called the reredos, was made in 1871 and has paintings by Kempe too.

Under the tower, there's a special area called the Chapel of the Holy Rood. It has an altar and a small table (a credence table) that were made from parts of an old screen from another church. The pulpit (where the sermon is given) and the eight-sided font (used for baptisms) were also designed by Bodley. The church has beautiful stained glass windows, some by Morris & Co. and others by Burne-Jones.

You can also find special memorials inside. There's a brass plaque from 1926 showing a life-size figure of Rev. Ralph Brockman. For the First World War, there's a statue of Mary, and for the Second World War, a statue of John the Baptist.

The church has a set of eight bells that were made in 1869. They were fixed up and rehung in 2003 and were rung for the first time on Easter Sunday that year after being silent for ten years.

The Church Organ

Organists

Many talented organists have played at St John's over the years, including:

Claude Ridley (1871–1882)
William Faulkes (1882–1886)
Daniel Mansfield (2019–present)

About the Organ

The impressive organ at St John's was built by William Hill and Son of London in 1867. It was installed in the church just in time for its official opening in 1871. Organs made by Hill are known for their bright, clear sound.

In 1895, some parts were added to the organ, like new pipes that made string-like sounds. For a while, the organ's keyboard was moved to a different part of the church, but by 1905, it was put back in its original spot.

Between 1991 and 2009, important repair work was done to the organ. The beautiful wooden case around the organ was designed by the church's architect, G.F. Bodley. The organ at St John's is special because it's one of the few Hill organs that hasn't been changed much over time. This led to it getting an "Historic Organ Certificate" in 2009.

The Vicarage

The original vicarage, the house where the church's vicar lived, was finished in 1890. It was also designed by Bodley. This building is a Grade II listed building, meaning it's also historically important. It's made of grey brick with red brick stripes and has a tile roof.

The Mortuary House

Also on the church grounds is the old mortuary house, which is now a ruin. It was also designed by Bodley and is a Grade II listed building. It's located in the garden of the vicarage.

The Brockman Hall and The Beatles

South of the main church building is the church hall, which used to be called the Brockman Memorial Hall. This hall is famous for being one of the first places the Beatles played!

Thanks to research by a Beatles historian named Gerry Murphy, we know that The Beatles played at the Brockman Hall in Tuebrook a dozen times in 1961. He also believes that Brian Epstein, who became their manager, first saw them play at the Brockman Hall, not at the Cavern Club as many people think. Several people who were there recognized Epstein from his family's music store.

The Beatles' first show at the hall was on February 17, 1961. They played with another band, and about 200 teenagers came to watch. Tickets cost 3 shillings and 6 pence, and the band was paid £20.00. They played there several more times in March and July, with their last show on August 31.