Church of St John the Baptist, Churchill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist |
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| Location | Churchill, Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 12th century |
The Church of St John the Baptist is a very old and special church located in Churchill, Somerset, England. Most of it was built a long, long time ago, around the year 1360. It is considered a Grade I listed building, which means it is a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
A Look at the Church's History
This church stands on a site that has been used for worship for many centuries. Back in 1180, there was a Norman chapel here. A part of that original chapel, called the nave (the main part of the church where people sit), is still part of the church you see today. Imagine how many people have walked through those same doors over hundreds of years!
Inside the Church
When you step inside, one of the oldest things you'll see is the stone baptismal font. This font, used for baptisms, dates back to around the year 1200. That makes it over 800 years old! The wooden cover on top of the font was added much later, in 1879. This was during a time when people loved the old Gothic style and wanted to bring it back.
The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were not all made at the same time. They come from different periods in history, each telling its own story through colorful glass.
The Church Tower
The tower of the Church of St John the Baptist is quite impressive. It has three main sections, or "stages." You can see strong diagonal supports called buttresses that help hold it up. There are also decorative stone bands called string courses.
In the north-east corner, there's a tall, round stair turret. This turret has a special top with blind panels and a battle-like design. The very top of the tower has a fancy parapet with pierced quatrefoil shapes, corner pinnacles, and even gargoyles. These gargoyles are carved stone figures, often shaped like monsters, that were originally used to drain water from the roof.
Experts believe the tower was built around 1360, or perhaps a bit later, after 1420. It's a strong and beautiful part of this historic building.
