St John the Baptist's Church, Yarburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church, Yarburgh |
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St John the Baptist's Church, Yarburgh, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | TF 351 931 |
| Location | Yarburgh, Lincolnshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 9 September 1967 |
| Architect(s) | James Fowler (architecture) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 14th century |
| Completed | 1855 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ironstone and chalk with limestone dressings |
St John the Baptist's Church is an old Anglican church in the small village of Yarburgh, Lincolnshire, England. It's no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a 'redundant' church. This special building is protected as a Grade I listed building because of its important history and architecture. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it to make sure it stays safe for future generations. Yarburgh village is quite peaceful, about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Louth.
History of the Church
This church was first built in the 14th century. A big fire damaged it, so it was mostly rebuilt in 1405. Later, in 1854–55, the church got a major update. This was part of a "Victorian restoration," which means it was repaired and changed to fit the style of the Victorian era. An architect named James Fowler from Louth led this work. During this time, a small room called a vestry and a new entrance porch were added. The church stopped being used for regular services in March 1981.
Church Architecture
St John's Church is built from strong ironstone and chalk rocks, with smooth limestone details. The roofs are covered with lead and tiles. Some tiles are even shaped like fish scales, which looks very cool!
Outside the Church
The church has a main area called a nave, with a raised section of windows called a clerestory. It also has a north aisle (a side section), a south porch, a chancel (the area near the altar), a vestry, and a tall tower at the west end.
The tower is made of ironstone and has three levels. It has strong corner supports called buttresses and a top edge that looks like castle walls, called a battlemented parapet. There's a staircase sticking out on the south side of the tower. The top level has two-light openings with wooden slats for the bells. The middle level has single-light openings with fancy clover-shaped tops.
One of the most special parts is the carved doorway on the west side. Its frame has carvings of leaves, twisting plants, fruit, and even a pelican. There's also an old message carved into it. Above the arch, you can see a coat of arms, Adam and Eve with the serpent, and a Paschal Lamb (a lamb symbol). Above this doorway is a large window from the 15th century with four sections.
There's another 15th-century window in the north aisle with two sections. Along the north wall, you'll find a doorway that's now blocked up. There are also three 15th-century windows in the aisle and one in the chancel. You can also spot a small niche where a statue might have once stood. The large window at the east end of the chancel is from the 19th century and has three sections. The vestry, also from the 19th century, has a two-section window that looks like it's from the 15th century.
On the south side of the chancel, there's a blocked-up arcade (a row of arches) from the 14th century. You can still see signs of fire damage there. Three windows from the 19th century, in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, have been put into this arcade. Both sides of the clerestory have four two-section windows. The porch has a pointed roof and leads to an older 14th-century inner doorway.
Inside the Church
Inside, the north arcade has four sections and dates from the 15th century. It stands on eight-sided supports called piers, which have carved human heads from the 19th century. In the north aisle wall, there's a 14th-century stone basin called a piscina. It has a fancy pointed top with a small decoration called a finial.
The font, where baptisms take place, is also from the 14th century and has a simple eight-sided shape. The screen in the tower area is from the 15th century. Most of the other furniture and decorations inside are from the 19th century.
The church has a set of three bells. The oldest bell was made around 1370, and the next one around 1500. The third bell was made in 1831 by James Harrison III.
See also
