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St John's Church, Little Gidding facts for kids

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St John
St John's Church, Little Gidding.jpg
The Church of Saint John the Evangelist, erected in 1714 to replace an earlier church at the site
St John is located in Cambridgeshire
St John
St John
Location in Cambridgeshire
52°25′16″N 0°20′39″W / 52.4211°N 0.3441°W / 52.4211; -0.3441
Location Little Gidding
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Church of England
Architecture
Heritage designation Grade I Listed
Designated 28 January 1958
Completed 1714
Specifications
Capacity 30
Length 32.75 feet (9.98 m)
Nave width 13.66 feet (4.16 m)
Administration
Parish Great with Little Steeple Gidding
Deanery Huntingdon Deanery
Archdeaconry Archdeaconry of Huntingdon and Wisbech
Diocese Diocese of Ely
Province Province of Canterbury
St John the Evangelist, Little Gidding, Cambridgeshire - East end - geograph.org.uk - 380843
The east end of St John the Evangelist Church.

St John's Church is a historic church located in the small village of Little Gidding in Cambridgeshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is dedicated to St John the Evangelist. This church is very important, so it's listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered a building of exceptional interest and is protected. The church is built from brick, covered with a special type of stone called Ketton stone, and has a roof made of Collyweston stone slate.

History of the Church

Early Beginnings

The very first church building on this spot was from the Middle Ages. It was linked to the Knights Templar, a famous group of medieval knights. By the 1600s, this old church was falling apart.

The Ferrar Family's Influence

In the 17th century, a family led by Nicholas Ferrar moved to Little Gidding and started a religious community there. They worked hard to restore the old church. Mary Ferrar, a member of the family, added beautiful oak wood panels to the church walls. Some of these old panels can still be seen today on the south side of the church's chancel (the area around the altar). The Ferrars also put in an organ in 1631-32, though it's no longer there. Mary Ferrar also gave the church a brass font from around 1625 and a brass lectern (a stand for reading) with an eagle design, which is from the 15th century. The wooden communion table used today also dates back to when the Ferrar family lived there.

The Church We See Today

The current church building was built in 1714. It replaced the older one that the Ferrar family had restored. The new church's main area, called the nave, was built 8 feet shorter than the old one. It also removed a special gallery that the Ferrars had added. Later, in 1853, the church was restored and changed again.

Church Features

Size and Space

The nave of St John's Church is about 13.66 feet (4.16 m) wide and 32.75 feet (9.98 m) long. It's a small church, with space for fewer than 30 people in the seats along the walls. The chancel, where the altar is, is about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and 22.75 feet (6.93 m) long. On the south side of the chancel, there's a vestry, which is a room used by the clergy, added in the late 1800s.

Organs and Music

Old photos from the early 1900s show that the church once had an organ. However, a survey done in 1999 found that there was no pipe organ in the church at that time.

OGS Plaque
A plaque remembering the start of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd in Little Gidding.

Church Administration

In 1923, a special rule was made that combined the churches of Great Gidding, Little Gidding, and Steeple Gidding into one larger group, or "benefice."

St John's Church is considered one of the best churches in England. It is even mentioned in a famous book called England's Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins.

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