St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington |
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St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | NZ 274 513 |
| Location | Hellington, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 5 September 1960 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint and brick with limestone dressings Roofs slated and tiled |
St John the Baptist's Church is an old Anglican church located just south of Hellington village in Norfolk, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building is protected as a Grade I listed building. This means it is very important historically and architecturally. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it today.
Contents
History of St John's Church
St John's Church was first built a very long time ago, in the 12th century. Most of the church's main structure comes from this time. Some parts were also added in the 14th century. The roofs you see on the church today were built even later.
Church Architecture and Design
This church is built using flint and brick. It also has special limestone decorations. The roofs over the main part of the church (the nave) and the altar area (the chancel) are covered with slate. The roof of the porch is made of tiles.
Outside the Church
The church has a simple layout. It includes a main hall (nave) with a porch on the south side. There is also a chancel and a round tower at the west end.
The Round Tower
The church's tower is round and dates back to the 12th century. The openings for the bells, which have two lights (sections), were added in the 14th century. The top edge of the tower, called the parapet, was built later. It has a special embattled design, like the top of a castle wall.
The South Porch
The south porch was added in the 14th century. It has been repaired many times since then. On each side of the entrance, there are small, angled spaces called niches. These were likely for statues. There are also hints of another niche above the entrance in the triangular part (the gable). The porch also has three open arches on its west and east sides.
The South Doorway
The main south doorway is in the Norman style. It has a rounded arch and is very detailed. The arch is supported by three rows of columns. These columns have capitals (the tops of the columns) decorated with scallop shells and spiral shapes called volutes. The arch itself also has three layers, with thin bands called fillets between them.
Windows and Walls
The windows in the nave and chancel are from the 14th century. They show different designs typical of the Decorated Gothic style. The large east window has five sections of glass. Above it, the gable has a cross. On the north wall of the nave, there is a window with two sections and a flat top. There is also another Norman doorway here, with two rows of columns. The north wall of the chancel was rebuilt with brick. It is supported by flat supports called pilaster-buttresses. There is also a larger buttress at the southeast corner.
Inside the Church
Inside, the arch leading to the tower is rounded. The arch that separates the nave from the chancel is pointed.
Chancel and Font
In the chancel, you can find a piscina from the 14th century. A piscina is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. This one has two arches. There are also small pieces of medieval stained glass in the south chancel window. The font, used for baptisms, is octagonal (eight-sided). Its bowl is decorated with panels shaped like four-leaf clovers, called quatrefoils.
Stained Glass
The beautiful stained glass in the east window was made in the mid-19th century. It was created by a company called J. and J. King from Norwich.
See also
