St John's Church, Hartford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist Church, Hartford
St John the Baptist Church, Hartford, from the southeast
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OS grid reference	SJ 638,722
Location	Hartford, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Conservative Evangelical
Website	St John, Hartford
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1824
Dedication	St John the Baptist
Consecrated	24 June 1875
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	18 July 1986
Architect(s)	John Douglas
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	29 October 1873
Construction cost	£12,508 (£1.02 million in 2025)
Specifications
Materials	Buff and red sandstone, red tile roof
Administration
Parish	St John, Hartford
Deanery	Middlewich
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St John the Baptist Church is a special building in Hartford, Cheshire, England. It's a local church for the area and is part of the Anglican faith. This church is so important that it's listed as a Grade II historic building. It belongs to the diocese of Chester, which is like a local church district.

The Church's Story: A Look Back in Time

The very first church building on this spot was opened in 1824. Over time, more and more people moved to Hartford. The church became too small for everyone!

So, in 1873, people decided they needed a brand new, bigger church. A famous architect named John Douglas designed it. The first stone was laid on October 29, 1873.

The new church was officially opened on June 24, 1875. At first, it only had the main hall (nave) and the area around the altar (chancel). The tall tower, also designed by John Douglas, was added later. It was finished in 1887.

In 1897, six new bells were added to the tower. The whole church cost about £12,508 to build. Later, in the 1920s, a room for the choir was built. In 1990, the old pipe organ was replaced with a new electronic one.

The church roof was fixed in 1993. The next year, the old wooden pews were replaced with chairs. This made the church more flexible. From 1997 to 1998, a new part was added to the back of the church. This gave more seating, toilets, and a kitchen.

How the Church Looks: Inside and Out

Outside the Church

The church is built from light brown sandstone with parts made of red sandstone. It has a red tile roof. The church has a long main hall (nave) with five sections. It also has side aisles and a chancel near the altar. There are porches and a tall tower at the west end.

The tower has four levels. There's a small stair turret on one corner that goes higher than the rest of the tower. The top of the tower has a decorative wall with a castle-like shape. The tower stands about 70 feet (21 meters) tall.

Inside the Church

Inside, you'll see a beautiful plaster and wooden screen behind the altar called a reredos. It shows a picture of the Last Supper. It's decorated in a Gothic style with gold.

Experts who wrote about the Buildings of England said the inside of the church is "altogether interesting, with a primitive look." They also noted that the two sides of the chancel look different. Today, the main way to enter the church is through the newer part at the west end.

Memorials and Graves

In the churchyard, there are ten graves of service people. Three of them are from World War I and seven are from World War II. These graves remind us of those who served.

St John's Today: A Busy Community Hub

St John the Baptist Church is still a very active parish church. It follows the Evangelical tradition. Regular church services are held every week.

Besides Sunday services, the church has many activities during the week. It runs different groups, cafes, and community events. In 2009, work began to replace the old church hall. A new building, called St John's Church Centre, opened in November 2010.

The Church Centre is mainly used for church activities. However, many other community groups also use it often. The church is a lively place that serves its local community.

See also

• Listed buildings in Hartford, Cheshire
• List of new churches by John Douglas