St John's Church, Kingston upon Thames facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John |
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| St John the Evangelist | |
St John's Church
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| 51°24′11″N 0°18′03″W / 51.4031°N 0.3008°W | |
| Location | Grove Lane Kingston, KT1 2SU |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Consecrated | November 1872 |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1871 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Kingston |
| Archdeaconry | Wandsworth |
| Diocese | Southwark |
The Church of St John the Evangelist, often called St John's Church, is an Anglican church. It is located in Kingston upon Thames, a town in England. The church is part of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark, which is like a local church district. You can find it just south of the town centre.
Contents
The Story of St John's Church
How St John's Was Built
The journey to build St John's Church began in June 1870. A temporary building made of iron was put up first. This was on the corner of Springfield Road and Denmark Road.
A year later, in July 1871, an important person named Bishop Samuel Wilberforce laid the first stone for the permanent church. This special spot was given by William Mercer. He also gave a lot of money, £2000, to help build it. It was hard to raise all the money needed, but eventually, £7000 was collected. This was enough to build the main parts of the church.
The church was officially opened in November 1872. At first, it didn't have the tall tower or spire that the architect, A. J. Phelps, had planned. There also wasn't much decoration inside.
Adding Details Over Time
Over the years, more beautiful things were added to the church. These included detailed carvings, lovely paintings, and colourful stained-glass windows. An organ was also installed for music.
The tower, which was part of the original design, was finally added much later in 1935. It's a shorter tower with an eight-sided turret that matches the church's style.
A Protected Building
St John's Church is considered an important historical building. Since March 1975, it has been a Grade II listed building. This means it's protected because of its special history and architecture.
Changes for the Community
In 1974, some changes were made inside the church. The long wooden benches, called pews, were taken out. New heating and lighting were put in. These changes allowed Kingston Polytechnic (a type of college) to use the church. Students could take their exams there during the week. Later, the choir stalls and the pulpit (where the priest speaks from) were also removed.
