Church of St John The Baptist, Batheaston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Northend, Batheaston, Somerset BA1 7EF, England |
|
Listed Building – Grade II*
|
|
| Designated | 1 February 1956 |
| Reference no. | 1320501 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Church of St John the Baptist is a very old church in Batheaston, a village in Somerset, England. It was first built way back in the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old! Later, in the 15th century, it was updated and changed.
This church is considered a special historical building. It's a Grade II* listed building. This means it's very important and protected because of its history and architecture.
The Church of St John the Baptist is part of a larger church area, or "parish," that also includes the church of St Catherine. Both churches are looked after by the same local church group.
The Church Tower: A Tall Story
The church has a tall tower on its west side. This tower has four main levels. It features a special top edge called a parapet with openings. Strong buttresses (support walls) help hold it up.
Inside the tower, there's a cool octagonal (eight-sided) staircase that sticks out. At one corner, there's a small turret that ends in a tiny spire.
Building the Tower
The tower was first built around the year 1460. That's over 550 years ago! Later, in 1834, it was rebuilt by an architect named John Pinch the Younger from Bath.
The tower has pointed windows with two sections. These windows have decorative shapes at the top called cusped heads. On the east side of the tower, there's a special carved space, or niche. It holds a figure that is probably a statue of St John.
The Church Bells
Inside the tower, there's a set of eight bells. These bells are often rung together to make music, which is called a "peal of bells."
The Churchyard
Around the church, in the churchyard, you can find several old stone tombs. These are called chest tombs because they look like large stone chests. These tombs are also considered important historical structures, just like the church itself.
