St John's Church, Fishpond Bottom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| 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 Church of England church located in a place called Fishpond Bottom, in Dorset, England. It was built in 1852. Since 1984, it has been recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building. Today, St John's Church is part of a group of churches called the Golden Cap Team of Churches. Services are held there three Sundays each month.
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Why Was St John's Church Built?
St John's Church was built in 1852. It was created as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from their main parish church. The main church for people in Fishpond Bottom was St Candida and Holy Cross. This church was about three to four miles away.
How the Church Started
Traveling to the main church was a long journey for many people. Because of this, the local vicar, Rev. William Palmer, started holding evening services closer to home. He began these services in a special room in Fishpond Bottom around early 1852.
Building a New Church
Many people came to these weekly services. More people attended than the vicar expected! Because of this, Rev. Palmer worked hard to get a new church built. This new church would be just for the people in Fishpond Bottom. Construction of St John's Church began in May 1852. It was finished by September of the same year. When it was completed, the church was officially allowed to hold services.
What Does St John's Church Look Like?
The church was designed to hold 200 people. It has a main area called a nave, which has four sections. There is also a porch on the north side. On the west end of the roof, there is a small tower called a turret. This turret holds one bell.
Building Materials Used
The church was built using local stone. This stone came from an area 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 space between the inner and outer stone walls is filled with flint.
Inside the Church
Inside St John's Church, you can see several interesting features. There is a small, eight-sided stone font. A font is a basin used for baptisms. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were made in 1967 by an artist named Arthur Edward Buss. The floor in the altar room is made of slate. This slate flooring was put in by John Stark and Partners in 1963.
