St John's Church, Fishpond Bottom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Fishpond Bottom, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1852 |
St John's Church is a special building for worship in Fishpond Bottom, Dorset, England. It belongs to the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. The church was built a long time ago, in 1852.
Since 1984, St John's Church has been a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. Today, the church is part of a group called the Golden Cap Team of Churches. People still gather there for a morning service three Sundays each month.
Contents
The Church's Story
Why St John's Was Built
St John's Church was built in 1852. It was first known as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from the main parish church. The main church, Church of St Candida and Holy Cross, was about three to four miles away from Fishpond Bottom. That was a long journey back then!
A New Place to Worship
Because of the long distance, the local vicar, Rev. William Palmer, started holding Sunday evening services closer to the people. He used a special room in Fishpond Bottom starting in early 1852. Many people came to these services. This showed that a new, dedicated church building was really needed.
Quick Construction
Thanks to Rev. Palmer's efforts, construction of the new church began quickly. Work started in May 1852 and was finished by September of the same year. When it was completed, the church was "licensed." This meant it was approved for services, but it wasn't officially "consecrated" yet. Consecration is a special ceremony that makes a building sacred.
How the Church Looks
Building Materials and Size
St John's Church was designed to hold about 200 people. It has a main open area called a nave and a porch on the north side. On the roof, at the west end, there's a small tower called a turret. This turret holds one bell.
The church was built using local stone found near Stoke Abbott. For the window frames and tops, a different type of stone called Hamstone was used. The roof is covered with slate. The builders also filled the space between the stone walls with flint, which is a hard type of rock.
Inside the Church
Inside St John's, you can see some interesting features. There's a small, eight-sided stone font. A font is a basin used for baptisms. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. These were made in 1967 by an artist named Arthur Edward Buss. In the area where the altar is, the floor was laid with slate in 1963 by a company called John Stark and Partners.
