St John the Baptist's Church, Allington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church, Allington |
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St John the Baptist's Church, Allington, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SU 204 394 |
| Location | Allington, Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 10 February 1958 |
| Architect(s) | Fr William Grey |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1851 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint and limestone Tiled roofs |
St John the Baptist's Church is an old church located in the small village of Allington, near Amesbury in Wiltshire, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. Most of the church was rebuilt in 1851.
Today, St John the Baptist's Church is a "redundant church." This means it's no longer used for regular church services. It is looked after by a group called the Friends of Friendless Churches, who help save old churches that are no longer in use. The church is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of the Church
The very first parts of St John the Baptist's Church were built a long, long time ago, in the 1100s. Not much of that original building is left today. You can still see tiny pieces of the old stone in the archway leading to the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is). There's also a bit of stone from an old Norman doorway that was moved to the north wall.
Most of the church you see today was rebuilt between 1847 and 1851. A priest named Fr William Grey was the architect for this project. He made sure the new church looked very much like the older one from the 1200s. The main difference was that the old wooden bell tower was replaced with a stronger stone one.
In 2010, St John the Baptist's Church was declared "redundant." This means it was no longer needed for regular church services. The next year, in 2011, the Friends of Friendless Churches took over its care. They work to preserve historic churches that are no longer actively used for worship.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
The church is built using two main materials: flint (a hard, grey stone) and limestone (a lighter stone). The roof is made of tiles. The church has a simple shape, with a main hall called the nave and a smaller section at the east end called the chancel.
On the south side, there's a porch that leads up to a tower. This tower has two levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. It has a pointy, tiled roof. At the top of the tower, there are openings for bells and a crenellated top, which looks like the top of a castle wall. You can also spot some gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that often act as water spouts.
The nave has doors on both the north and south sides. The north door still has some of the old Norman stone pieces. Along the sides of the nave, you'll see windows with two or three sections. In the chancel, there are two tall, narrow windows called lancet windows from the late 1100s or early 1200s. The large window at the very east end has three sections.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, the walls of the nave are covered with a smooth plaster and painted. The roof of the nave is a "wagon roof," which means it's shaped like the inside of a covered wagon. It was built in the 1800s.
The inside of the chancel is very special. It has beautiful patterns painted on the walls. These decorations were added in 1876 by a company called Heaton, Butler and Bayne. They were made to remember Revd Fulwar William Fowle, who was the church's rector (a type of priest) for over 60 years. The floor of the chancel is covered with colorful encaustic tiles, which are tiles with patterns baked into them.
The chancel also has a sedilia, which is a set of seats for the clergy, and a piscina, a basin used for washing sacred vessels. The stained glass in the east window, showing the Crucifixion, was also made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
The font, where baptisms take place, is from the 1800s. It's a copy of a much older font from the 1100s. The font has a special, carved wooden cover from the 1600s. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of oak and also dates from the 1800s.
You can find two very old wooden pews inside, from the 1500s or 1600s. Other pews were made later to match these old ones. In the porch, there's a large oak chest called a "coffer" from the 1500s or 1600s. It has three locks and was used by the churchwardens (people who help manage the church). There's also an old stool from the 1600s.
Churchyard Tombs
Outside the church, in the churchyard, there are some interesting old tombs. Two of them are limestone coffin tombs from the 1700s. One of them has the date 1728 carved into it. There are also two "chest tombs" from the early 1800s. These are also listed as Grade II historical structures.
Jane Austen Connection
St John the Baptist's Church has a small connection to the famous writer Jane Austen. A priest named Revd Thomas Fowle was the vicar (another type of priest) here between 1793 and 1797. He was engaged to marry Cassandra Austen, who was Jane Austen's sister. Sadly, he died from yellow fever in the West Indies before they could get married. He was trying to earn enough money for their wedding when he passed away.
