St John's Church, Dudley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Evangelist |
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The church in July 2018
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| 52°30′30″N 2°04′23″W / 52.50831°N 2.07302°W | |
| Location | Kates Hill, Dudley |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Completed | 1840 |
The Church of St John the Evangelist, often called St John's, is a Church of England church. It is found in the Kates Hill area of Dudley, England. This church first opened in 1840. It closed in 2002 because of safety concerns. However, the church happily reopened its doors in 2016.
English Heritage officially recognized it as a Grade II listed building on May 21, 2009. This means it is an important historic building.
Contents
History of St John's Church
Building the Church
Two churches were built in Dudley around the same time. These were St John's and St James's at Eve Hill. Both churches were designed by an architect named William Bourne. They had very similar designs.
When St John's was built, Kates Hill was mostly a quiet, rural area. But soon, many houses were built there. These homes were for workers in local factories. This happened during the Industrial Revolution. The area became even more crowded in the 1920s and 1930s. More council housing was built nearby then.
Saving the Church Building
After the church closed in 2002, a group worked hard to save it. This group was called the "St John's Church Preservation Group". A local historian, Professor Carl Chinn, supported their efforts. They wanted the church to be fixed and opened again.
The Preservation Group became the official renters of the church. This happened on July 27, 2016. In August of that year, the church opened to the public. It was the first time since 2002 that people could go inside. The group announced that the church would be open every day from September 12, 2016. This allowed visitors to see the repair work happening.
On July 27, 2018, a special event took place. The first church service in 15 years was held there. The Rector of Dudley, Rev Robert Barlow, led the service.
Graveyard and Notable Burials
The church has a graveyard next to it. This is a place where people are buried. Two interesting people are buried there.
One is William Perry. He was a famous boxer. People knew him as 'The Tipton Slasher'. He was the boxing champion of England from 1850 to 1855.
Another notable person buried there is Marion Richardson. She lived from 1892 to 1946. Marion was an educator. She wrote books about penmanship and handwriting. She helped many people learn to write neatly.
