Church of St John the Baptist, Upper Eldon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist,Upper Eldon |
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Church of St John the Baptist, Upper Eldon, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | SU 365 278 |
| Location | King's Somborne, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 29 May 1957 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint rubble, partly rendered, with stone dressings East wall brick Roofs tiled |
The Church of St John the Baptist, Upper Eldon is an old church in King's Somborne, Hampshire, England. It's no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a redundant church. This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important historically and architecturally. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it. You can find the church in the grounds of Eldon House, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) south of Stockbridge.
A Look Back in Time
This church was first built a long, long time ago, in the late 1100s. By the 1700s, it was falling apart. So, in 1729, the east wall was rebuilt.
However, the church's condition got worse again. By 1864, it was even being used as a cowshed! It stayed in bad shape for many years. In 1973, it looked more like a farm building than a church. A report from that time even mentioned that its only resident was "a beautiful white owl."
The church was officially declared "redundant" on December 21, 1971. This meant it was no longer needed for regular worship. It was then handed over to the Redundant Churches Fund (which later became the Churches Conservation Trust) on May 31, 1973.
Good news came in 1975 when the church was repaired. This included fixing the roof with new tiles and replastering the inside. More repairs were done in 1984. Today, the church is open every day for visitors to explore.
What the Church Looks Like
The Church of St John the Baptist is built from flint rubble, which means it's made of rough, broken pieces of flint stone. Some parts are covered in stucco, a type of plaster. It also has stone decorations. The east wall, which was rebuilt, is made of brick. The roofs are covered with tiles.
The church has a simple, rectangular shape. It's about 9.75 meters (32 feet) long and 4.88 meters (16 feet) wide.
Windows and Walls
The north wall has two original windows. Each is about 38 centimeters (15 inches) wide and 91 centimeters (3 feet) tall. At the east end of the north wall, you can see part of another window that was cut in half when the east wall was rebuilt.
The west wall has one window similar to the original ones. The south wall also has one similar window, plus another one that was cut in half. The east wall has a wider window that was added in the 1800s, designed to look like the older ones.
Special Features
At each corner of the church, there's a buttress. A buttress is a strong support built against a wall to make it stronger. Around most of the church, except for the east end, there's a decorative moulded string course. This is a horizontal band of stone that runs along the wall at the level of the window sills.
On the south wall, there's a doorway with a pointed arch. This doorway was rebuilt in the 1900s. You can also find nine consecration cross stones around the church. These are circles with five holes in them. Long ago, these holes held metal crosses, marking where the church was blessed or "consecrated."
See also
