St John the Baptist's Church, Parson Drove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church,Parson Drove |
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St John the Baptist's Church, Parson Drove, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | TF 390 091 |
| Location | Parson Drove, Cambridgeshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 23 June 1952 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
St John the Baptist's Church is an old Anglican church in the village of Parson Drove, Cambridgeshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, which is why it is called a "redundant" church. This special building is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. It is also listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a very important historical building. The church is located at the east end of the village, about 6 kilometres (4 miles) west of Wisbech.
Contents
History of St John the Baptist's Church
This church started as a small chapel belonging to the Leverington parish. A "chapelry" was like a smaller church area connected to a main church. The oldest part of the church, the north aisle, was built in the 1300s. However, a doorway from the 1200s still remains. Most of the church you see today was built in the late 1400s or early 1500s.
Changes Over the Centuries
In 1613, a big flood destroyed the chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is. The south aisle was mostly rebuilt around 1800. The south wall of the south aisle was also rebuilt in the early 1800s. St John's became its own separate parish in 1870. This meant it had its own local church area.
Because more people were moving to the village, a second church called Emmanuel Church was built in 1872. Later, in 1895, the roof of the nave (the main part of the church) was rebuilt. By the late 1900s, the village no longer needed two churches. So, in 1974, St John's Church was declared redundant. This means it was no longer used for regular worship.
Architecture and Design
St John the Baptist's Church is built mostly from rubble stone and brick. The tower has parts covered with Barnack limestone. The roof over the nave is made of slate. The roofs of the aisles and the south porch are covered with lead.
Outside the Church
The church has a nave with a clerestory (a row of windows above the main part). It also has north and south aisles, and a small room called a vestry at the east end of the north aisle. There are porches on both the north and south sides. The church also has a chancel and a tall tower at the west end.
The Tower's Features
The tower has three main sections and sits on a plinth (a strong base). It has angled buttresses, which are supports that stick out from the wall. The top of the tower has an embattled parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. There is also a small stair turret on the northeast side.
At the bottom of the tower, there is a doorway on the west side. Higher up, there are three-light windows (windows with three sections) on the north, south, and west sides. The middle section of the tower has a narrow lancet window on each side. The bell openings, where the bells are, have two lights. Below the parapet, the cornice (a decorative molding) has two gargoyles on each side. These are carved stone figures, often of monsters, that drain water from the roof. On the south side of the tower's base, there is an old stone from the 1100s with a carving of a man.
Windows and Walls
Along the clerestory, on each side, there are six square-headed windows, each with three lights. The south aisle has a three-light window at its east end. Along the south wall, there are six two-light windows. The west end of the south aisle has a two-light window. The south porch has two-light windows in its east and west walls. The north aisle has a three-light window at its east end. Along the north wall, there are five two-light windows. The west end of the north aisle has a two-light window. The east window in the chancel has three lights.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, both arcades (rows of arches) have seven bays (sections). The lower part of the tower inside has vaulting, which is a curved ceiling. This vaulting is carved with designs like Tudor roses and grotesques (strange or funny carvings).
Interior Details
In the main part of the church, the roofs have corbels (stone supports sticking out from the wall) carved with grotesque heads. In the north aisle, there is a piscina, which is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. It has a sharply pointed top. The wooden pulpit, where sermons are given, is from 1677. It now stands on a base made in the 1900s.
The eight-sided font, used for baptisms, is from the 1400s. It is in the Perpendicular style, which was popular at that time. The church also has an iron-bound chest from the 1500s or 1600s.
Stained Glass and Bells
You can find small pieces of 15th-century stained glass in three windows of the north aisle. Each piece shows a shield. One shield has the arms of the Diocese of Ely. Another represents the Trinity (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The third shield shows three chalices (cups) and wafers (bread used in communion). The church has a ring of five bells. They were made around 1787 by a person named Thomas Osborn.
Associated Features
The Wisbech & Fenland Museum has a special pillar piscina that used to be in St John's Church. It was given to the museum in 1872.
See also
