St John's Church, Purewell 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 | Purewell, Somerset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | William Jurd |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1881 |
St John's Church is a special Church of England building in Purewell, Dorset, England. It's known as a "mission church," which means it was built to serve a local community. This church was built a long time ago, between 1880 and 1881.
Contents
Why Was St John's Church Built?
St John's Church was built because the main church, Christchurch Priory, was about a mile away. People in Purewell needed a closer place for church services. A kind lady named Miss Mary Long paid for the entire church herself. She bought the land at Purewell Cross on September 23, 1880. This spot was empty because a fire had destroyed buildings there in 1876.
Building the Church: Who Helped?
Work on St John's started in September 1880. Charles Davis, who lived in Purewell, was the builder. The church was designed by William Jurd from Southampton. It was planned to hold about 100 people.
Miss Long built the church to remember her brothers, James Long and Robert Long. The whole project, including the building and its furniture like wooden seats and a harmonium (a type of organ), cost £800.
Opening Day and Early Days
The church was officially opened on February 5, 1881, by the Bishop of Winchester, Harold Browne. About 175 people came to the opening. It was supposed to open earlier, but a snowstorm caused a delay. Sadly, Miss Mary Long passed away shortly after, on May 17, 1881, at 80 years old.
St John's quickly became more than just a place for services. It was a busy community center! Many groups used it for meetings, parties, lectures, and other fun events. As the community grew, the church became too small. So, in 1897, two nearby houses and their gardens were bought to help with the church's activities.
Changes Over the Years
Around 1912, a platform was added inside the church. The first Holy Communion service, a special church ceremony, was held at St John's on March 6, 1928, after an altar was put in place. In 1978, the old harmonium was replaced with a new electronic instrument.
Today, St John's Church still holds services. They have Evensong on the second Sunday of each month and Holy Communion on the fourth Sunday. The church also hosts tea and coffee mornings every Wednesday. On Saturdays, you can find book and bric-a-brac sales there.
What Does St John's Church Look Like?
St John's is built with red bricks and has a slate roof. The building is about 18 feet wide and 28 feet long. It has eight special windows, all with beautiful stained glass. A small room called a vestry was built at the back.
Inside the Church
On each side of the door leading to the vestry, there are two tall frames. These frames have important prayers and rules, like the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, written in shiny gold letters. Miss Long's brother created these, and Mr. Lander from St Mary's Church at Bransgore gave them to St John's.
Originally, the church used gas lamps for lighting. In 1958, electric lights were installed, but two of the old gas lamp decorations were kept until 2011.
Outside the Church
A wall with iron railings surrounds the church. A path made of patterned tiles leads to the double front doors. In 2016, new paving was added to make it easier for wheelchairs to access the building.
In 2010, the inside of the church was updated. In 2013, a new extension with a sloped roof was added to the back of the building. This addition provides modern toilet facilities.
