St John's Church, Gateshead Fell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St John's Church, Gateshead Fell
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OS grid reference	NZ 265 605
Location	Church Road, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St John, Gateshead Fell
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	John the Evangelist
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	26 April 1950
Architect(s)	John Ions
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1824
Completed	1825
Construction cost	£2,742
Specifications
Materials	Stone, slate roof
Administration
Parish	Gateshead Fell
Deanery	Gateshead
Archdeaconry	Sunderland
Diocese	Durham
Province	York

St John's Church, Gateshead Fell, is a historic church located in Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is a special building, listed as a Grade II building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's important and protected because of its history and architecture.

St John's Church was also a "Commissioners' church." This means it received money from a special fund to help build new churches after the Napoleonic Wars. You can find this church at the highest point in Gateshead, giving it a great view!

Building the Church: A Look at Its History

How St John's Church Started

The idea for St John's Church came about in 1809. A law called the Enclosure Act said that a church should be built on Gateshead Fell. One acre of land was set aside just for this purpose.

Construction and Opening

The Church Building Commission gave a grant of £1,000 to help with the building costs. John Ions was the architect who designed the church. The first stone, called the foundation stone, was placed on 13 May 1824. This happened on a high spot known as Sour Milk Hill.

Building work continued into the next year. The church was officially opened and blessed on 30 August 1825. The total cost to build St John's Church was £2,742.

Modern Updates

In the 1990s, some changes were made inside the church. New rooms were added at the back. These included meeting rooms, toilets, and a kitchen. These updates help the church serve its community better today.

Church Design: Exploring Its Architecture

Style and Materials

St John's Church is built from ashlar stone, which means the stones are carefully cut and shaped. The roof is made of Welsh slate. The church's style is Gothic Revival. This means it looks like churches from the medieval Gothic period, but it was built much later.

Church Layout

The church has a main area called a nave. It also has a short chancel, which is the part near the altar. At the west end of the church, there's a tall tower with a spire on top. The tower has strong supports called buttresses and a decorative top edge known as an embattled parapet.

Windows and Organ

Along the sides of the church, you'll see tall, narrow windows called lancets. Inside, the church has a two-manual organ. This organ was made by a company called Harrison & Harrison. It was put into the church in 2000. Before that, it was in another church, St Aidan's Church in Blackhill, Consett.

Images for kids

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  St John's Church, Gateshead Fell