St John's Church, Duxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church, Duxford |
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St John's Church, Duxford, from the south-west
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| OS grid reference | TL 478 462 |
| Location | Duxford, Cambridgeshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Founded | c.1100 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 22 November 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint, pebbles and clunch Clunch and limestone dressings Roofs in tiles and copper |
St John's Church is a very old church in the village of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. In 1967, it was given a special status as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historical building. Today, it's looked after by The Churches Conservation Trust. The church is located where St John's Street and Green Street meet, and you can visit it every day.
Contents
History of St John's Church
The main parts of the church, like the tower, the nave (the main part where people sit), and the chancel (the area around the altar), were built a very long time ago, around the late 1100s.
Changes Over Time
- In the 1200s, the tower was made taller, and the chancel was made longer.
- Around 1330, a small chapel with two sections was added to the north side of the chancel.
- Later in the 1300s, new windows were put in the tower and at the west end of the nave.
- In the 1400s, the north aisle (a side part of the church) and the porch (an entrance area) were built.
- In the 1500s, the east window was added.
- In the 1700s, some repairs were done using bricks.
From School to Special Building
From the mid-1600s until about 1847, the north chapel was actually used as a schoolroom! In 1874, St John's Church joined with the nearby St Peter's parish, and St John's wasn't used as much. There were even plans in the 1940s to turn it into a memorial for the RAF, but this didn't happen. In 1947, the bells were taken out, and five of them went to St Peter's Church.
Later, in 1976, the church was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for regular church services. In 1979, The Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. The tower and some old wall paintings were partly fixed in 1985.
Today, the church is still used for special events. You might find occasional services, concerts, plays, talks, and art shows there. It's a unique place that brings history to life!
Architecture of the Church
St John's Church is built from materials like flint (a hard stone), pebbles, and a soft stone called clunch. Stronger stones like clunch and limestone were used for details. Some repairs have been done with brick.
Outside the Church
The church has flat roofs covered in copper, while the nave roof is made of tiles. The small spire on top of the tower is covered in lead. The church's layout includes a nave (the main hall), a north aisle (a side passage), a central tower, and a chancel (the area near the altar) with a north chapel.
- North Side: Along the north aisle, you'll see supports called buttresses and three windows. The north chapel has a diagonal buttress and two windows with interesting gargoyles (carved stone figures, often with spouts).
- Tower: The middle part of the tower has small round windows. The bell openings at the top have two sections. The top edge of the tower is battlemented, like a castle wall. On top of the tower is a small, lead-covered spirelet (a tiny spire). This spirelet is actually twisted! This happened in 1897 when a flagpole was tied to it for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, and a strong wind damaged it.
- Chancel and South Side: The east window of the chancel has four sections. On the south wall of the chancel, there's a two-light window and a tall, narrow lancet window, with a priest's door between them. The south wall of the tower has two large buttresses and a two-light window.
- South Nave and Porch: The south wall of the nave has a large window in the Perpendicular style. To the west of this is a wooden porch with a triangular gable roof. The porch has plaster on it, including a small decorated section called pargeting. This porch leads to the old Norman doorway, which is decorated with zigzag patterns called chevrons. The space above the door, called the tympanum, has a rare stepped cross carving.
Inside the Church
When you step inside, you'll see the Norman round-headed arches of the tower, which are from the 1100s. The west arch has three columns, and the east arch has one. At the bottom of the east arch, you can spot two carved dogs!
- Chapel Features: In the chapel, there are two ogee-headed niches (small alcoves in the wall) and a cinquefoil-headed piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels).
- Font and Furniture: On the east wall of the nave, there's another niche with a round top. The font, used for baptisms, is from the 1200s and has a simple eight-sided bowl on a stone base. The communion rail, from the late 1600s, has twisted supports called balusters. The wooden benches are from the late 1400s, and the floor tiles are from the 1700s.
Wall Art and Graffiti
The church is full of interesting wall decorations! You can see medieval wall paintings and even graffiti, some of it from as late as the Second World War.
- Medieval Paintings: From the medieval period, there are paintings of two bishops in the north aisle. You might also see two figures thought to be Christ and the coronation of the Virgin Mary. There are also pieces of a possible Christ of the Trades painting. This type of painting shows working tools and was meant to remind people to keep the Sabbath (Sunday) holy, and that using these tools on Sunday would hurt Christ. Under the east tower arch, there's an Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) with angels on either side. On the west wall of the chancel, there are pictures of saints, including a female saint (maybe St Margaret) being tortured, and scenes from the Crucifixion and taking Christ down from the cross.
- Historic Graffiti: In the north chapel and arcade, you can find graffiti from when it was used as a school. Some of it is even in Latin! In the chancel, there's a long desk with lots of graffiti, including two small coffins with skeletons drawn inside. The newest drawing in the nave is a picture of Christ, drawn by a soldier who was a look-out during World War II.
Churchyard Features
In the churchyard, there are two old tombs. One has dates from the 1800s, and the other has no writing on it. Both are also listed as Grade II historical buildings. The churchyard has been tidied up, and many of the old headstones now line the western wall. This makes it easier for the Duxford Parish Council to look after the area.
The churchyard is also a lovely place for nature. Most of the year, certain parts are left to grow wild, which helps local plants and animals. In early spring, you'll see lots of snowdrops. Later in spring, cowslips appear, and in summer, there are ox-eye daisies, different grasses, and even orchids!
Gallery
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A carved stone figure of a tail-biting beast on the north side of the chancel.
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The triple columns of the Norman arch, showing faint traces of original decoration.
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A view of the chancel roof inside the church.
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The chancel and north aisle seen from the northeast corner.
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The nave with 15th-century pews, and boards displaying the Commandments, Lord's Prayer, and Apostles' Creed.
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An example of "Solomon's Knot" graffiti near the tower crossing.
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15th-century wall paintings, possibly showing St Erasmus (Elmo) and St Leonard.
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The 15th-century porch and the south door with its rare 'stepped' cross carving.
