St John's Church, Seaborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St John's Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	1882
Location
Location	Seaborough, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	George R. Crickmay
Architectural type	Church

St John's Church is a special church in Seaborough, Dorset, England. It's part of the Church of England. A lot of the church you see today was rebuilt in 1882. It's also a "Grade II listed building," which means it's an important historical building. The church is now part of the Beaminster Area Team Ministry.

The Church's Long History

How St John's Church Began

St John's Church has been around for a very long time! Records show a church existed here as early as the 13th century. The first known church leader, called a rector, was recorded in 1244.

In 1415, a local landowner named John Golde gave some land to the rector, Rev. John Threddar. This land was for building a brand new church. The new church was built, and later, in the late 1400s, a north transept (a part of the church that sticks out like an arm) was added. This was because the church had become too small for everyone attending.

By 1729–1730, the main part of the church and its roof were in poor condition. The transept also needed fixing. So, a new transept was built, and the rest of the church was repaired. It also got a new roof and new seating.

Before its big rebuild, the church had a nave (the main area where people sit), a chancel (the area near the altar), a north transept, and a south porch. There was also a gallery at the back of the nave. In 1857, a new harmonium (a type of organ) was put in the church. It cost £10 and was first played by Mr. H. Cole, who was the organist at St John's in Yeovil.

The Big Rebuild of 1882

By 1876, the church was quite old and falling apart. It also wasn't big enough for all the people in the area. So, a decision was made to rebuild and make the church larger. The plans were drawn up in 1880 by an architect named George R. Crickmay. He designed the church to hold 59 adults and 21 children.

Money was needed for this big project. The rector of Seaborough, Rev. T. M. Shaw, worked hard to raise funds. Because the local area was small, they asked for donations from people further away. In June 1880, a group called the Bath and Wells Diocesan Church Building Society gave £40 to help.

In October 1881, a builder named Mr. B. Chambers from Beaminster was chosen to do the work. In April 1882, Rev. Shaw was allowed to use St Mary's Church in Drimpton for Sunday services. This meant his church could be worked on. Soon after, the rebuilding of St John's began.

Most of St John's Church was rebuilt. The chancel and the west wall were completely new. Parts of the north and south walls were also rebuilt. The church was made longer by about 22 feet with the new chancel. A vestry (a room for the clergy) was added on the north side, and a new porch was built on the south side. The transept from 1729 was kept. Three windows from the old church were reused, and six new windows were added.

While taking down the old church's porch, something amazing was found! It was a stone statue, called an effigy, of a crusader from the 13th century. It had been used as a stone beam over the door. Sadly, because no one knew it was there, its head was damaged and its arms broke off. But it was saved and placed in the transept. People believe this effigy is of John Golde of Seaborough. He was a crusader from Somerset who fought in a battle called the Siege of Damietta in 1219. He was given land at Seaborough in 1229 for his service.

The work was first expected to cost £780, but extra work was needed, so the final cost reached £980. Mr. B. Chambers was the main builder, and W. A. Stoodley was the foreman. Crickmay & Son oversaw the project. Harry Hems from Exeter did the detailed carved work. St John's Church and its burial ground were officially blessed by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Lord Arthur Hervey, on December 5, 1882.

Recent Repairs and Updates

In 1902, the church was repaired again and got new seating. This was paid for by Captain Ralph Cecil Batley. In 1988, the roof was replaced, and the bell-cot (the small tower holding the bells) was repaired and made stronger.

More recently, in 2019, the church's two bells were fixed up by John Taylor & Co from Loughborough. They were put back with new fittings and rang again for the first time on September 29, 2019.

Church Design and Features

St John's Church is built from local stone, with special Hamstone used for details. The roofs are covered with slate. The church has a nave, a chancel, a north transept, a north vestry, and a south porch. On the west end, there's a bell-cot for two bells, and on the east end, there's a stone cross. Inside, the walls are covered with a rough plaster. The barrel-shaped roof from 1882 is made of paneled and varnished red deal wood from Oslo.

The arch leading to the chancel, built in 1882, is supported by shiny Devonshire marble columns. These columns rest on carved Bath stone supports. The nave has two windows from the 15th century that were put back in place. One in the north wall has three sections, and the one in the west wall has two sections. The church's windows are made with a type of glass called cathedral glass.

The floor in the nave is made of wood blocks laid in a diagonal pattern. Many of the church's internal floors from 1882 use tiles from W. Carter of Poole. Special patterned tiles, called encaustic tiles, from Maw & Co of Broseley were used in the chancel. The steps leading to the chancel are made of Blue Pennant stone, as is the slab where the altar sits. During the 1882 work, new seats made of Oslo red deal wood were placed in the chancel. The old pews in the nave were replaced with chairs.

Inside the Church: Fittings and Gifts

The vestry has a communion table and a coffin stool that date back to the 17th century. The stone effigy (statue) in the transept is from the mid-13th century. The transept also has a memorial tablet and a bust (a statue of a head and shoulders) for Adam Martin, from 1738. You can also find a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) in the transept, which was made from a shaft dating to the late 12th century. The church's two bells were made in 1712 by Thomas Knight.

Many gifts were given to the church during the 1882 rebuilding. Mrs. Maynard Shaw gave an altar cloth. Miss Stephens gave velvet drapes for the reredos (a screen behind the altar). Mrs. Joseph Studley gave the lectern (a stand for reading) and its hangings. Mr. Edward Shaw, the rector's brother, gave the brass cross and candlesticks. Mrs. Edward Shaw gave the carpet for the chancel steps. The pulpit and the font (a basin for baptisms) were kept from the old church.

In 1928, a beautiful stained glass window was put in the transept. It was given by William Rowland Mitchell's wife and sons to remember him after he passed away in 1925. The window was officially revealed by Lieutenant-Commander Mitchell and Lieutenant-Commander Pawlett.