St John the Baptist, Edlingham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist
St John the Baptist Location in Northumberland
55°22′34″N 1°49′16″W / 55.3760°N 1.8210°W / 55.3760; -1.8210
OS grid reference	NU113091
Location	Garden Terrace, Edlingham, Northumberland NE66 2BN
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active

St John the Baptist is a very old church located in Edlingham, a village in Northumberland, England. It was built a long time ago, mostly during the Norman period. This means it was constructed between the late 11th century and the late 12th century.

The church is right next to Edlingham Castle. This castle was built in the 13th century and later updated in the 16th century with stronger walls and defenses.

What is Norman Architecture?

Norman architecture is a style of building that was popular in England after the Normans arrived in 1066. It's known for being strong and simple.

Key Features of St John the Baptist Church

The church has parts from two different Norman building times.

Early Norman Features

• The chancel arch is from the late 11th century. This is the arch that separates the main part of the church from the chancel (the area near the altar).
• The south porch also dates back to the late 11th century. It has a special "tunnel vault" ceiling, which is quite rare for that time.

Later Norman Features

• The north aisle arcade was added in the late 12th century. An arcade is a row of arches supported by columns.
• The columns in this part of the church are round.
• The tops of the columns, called capitals, are carved in a "scalloped" design. They also have bands of "nail-head" decoration, which looks like small pyramid shapes.
• The strong west tower might have been started in the late 12th century. However, it was likely finished much later. This tower was built to be easily defended.