St John's Church, Poxwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Demolished |
| Year consecrated | 1868 |
| Location | |
| Location | Poxwell, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Evans |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Early English |
St John's Church was a Church of England church located in Poxwell, a village in Dorset, England. It was built between 1867 and 1868. This church was a replacement for an older building. Sadly, St John's Church was taken down in 1969.
The Church's Story
St John's Church was built from 1867 to 1868. It replaced a much older church that was described as a "small ancient fabric." This old church had a main hall (called a nave) and a special area for the altar (called a chancel), but it didn't have a tower. The old church was taken down in 1866. The new St John's Church was then built about 70 yards (around 64 meters) to the east of where the old one stood.
The new church was also named after St John the Evangelist. It was paid for entirely by John Trenchard Trenchard. He was a wealthy local landowner who owned the Poxwell and Ringstead estates. The church was designed by Mr. George Evans from Wimborne Minster. The building work was done by Mr. R. Reynolds, also from Wimborne Minster. The detailed stone carvings were created by Mr. Grassby from Dorchester.
St John's Church was officially opened and blessed on April 22, 1868. This special ceremony was led by the Bishop of Sodor and Man, Right Rev. Horatio Powys. He performed the ceremony because the main bishop for the area, the Bishop of Salisbury (Right Rev. Walter Kerr Hamilton), was too ill to attend.
Why the Church Was Demolished
St John's Church was taken down in 1969. This happened after the church areas of Osmington and Poxwell were combined. A study of the church's tall, pointed tower (called a spire) found that it was unsafe. Fixing it would have cost around £5,000. This was a huge amount of money for the small village, which only had about 50 residents.
So, the decision was made to demolish the church. Work began on August 11, 1969. Even though the study said the spire was weak, it turned out to be much stronger than expected! The first attempt to pull it down failed. Thick steel cables wrapped around the spire snapped when a mechanical digger tried to pull them. A second attempt was successful after even thicker cables were used. The contractors who demolished the church were paid by being allowed to keep and sell materials from the building. The churchyard, which is the burial ground, still remains near where the church once stood.
Church Design and Features
St John's Church had several parts. It included a main hall (nave), a chancel with a small room (vestry) on the south side, and two side sections (transepts) on the north and south. It also had a porch on the north side and a round tower with a spire on the west side. The spire reached a height of 90 feet (about 27 meters).
The lower part of the tower was designed to be a small area for baptisms, called a baptistery. The church's font, which is a basin used for baptisms, was made from Bath stone. Its central column was supported by six separate columns of beautiful Devonshire marble.
Some items from the older church were moved into the new St John's. This included a single bell, which was very old, dating back to the 15th century. It was made in Wokingham. When St John's Church was demolished, this historic bell was moved again, this time to St Martin's Church in Broadmayne. Other items moved from the old church included several marble plaques that remembered local people.
