Saint John the Baptist Church, Penistone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint John the Baptist Church, Penistone |
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St John the Baptist, seen from the churchyard
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| 53°31′33″N 1°37′47″W / 53.5259°N 1.6297°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE 24651 03316 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 23 June 1965 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Penistone |
| Diocese | Wakefield |
| Province | York |
The Saint John the Baptist Church, also known as Penistone Parish Church, is a historic Church of England building. It is located in the town of Penistone, near Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. This church is a very important building, listed as a Grade I listed building, which means it has special historical or architectural value.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: The Church's History
People have worshipped at Penistone Church for a very long time! Records show priests here since the year 1200. Some parts of the church building might even be over 1000 years old. You can also see parts of an old Saxon cross built into the church walls. This suggests Christians were in this area a very, very long time ago. There's also another old cross base and stump in the churchyard.
The Tower and Its Features
The church's tall tower, which is about 80 feet high, is around 500 years old. It was built around the year 1500. The tower has two clock faces, one on the west side and another on the south side. Inside the tower, there are 8 bells that ring out for special occasions.
Special Additions to the Church
The special entrance gate to the churchyard, called a lychgate, was built in 1959. It was made to remember Reverend Canon William Turnbull, who was the vicar at the church for many years, from 1855 to 1915.
On top of the tower, there's a cool stainless steel weathervane shaped like a fish. A local resident, Arnold Lesley Smith, made this as a gift in 1975. The fish is an old Christian symbol, and the stainless steel shows off the local industry of the area.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The church windows are filled with amazing stained glass. Much of this glass is hundreds of years old, telling stories through its colorful designs. Newer glass has also been added, like in 1992. This new window celebrated the 600th anniversary of Penistone Grammar School.
Community and Gardens
In 2006, the church hosted a special service for Yorkshire Day celebrations. Mayors and leaders from all over Yorkshire attended this event in Penistone. That same year, new Heritage and Sensory Gardens were created in the lower part of the churchyard. These gardens include large millstones with important local dates carved into them. There is also a memorial to Nicholas Saunderson, a famous mathematician from Cambridge University.
The church building also had some important work done inside in 2006. This work helped create new spaces for the community to use.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Penistone
