St John the Baptist, Kentish Town facts for kids
St John the Baptist, which is now known as the Christ Apostolic Church, is a special historic building in Kentish Town, London. It is located at 23 Highgate Road. Because of its historical importance, it is a grade II listed building. This means it is officially recognized as a building of special interest and is protected by law.
Contents
History of the Building
The story of this building goes back a very long time. It has been changed and rebuilt several times over hundreds of years.
From a Chapel to a Church
Long ago, a small chapel stood on this spot. A chapel is a small church, and this one was a chapel-of-ease, built for people who lived too far away to easily get to the main church of their area.
In 1783, this old chapel was replaced by a new, larger church. It was designed by a famous architect named James Wyatt.
A Victorian Rebuild
About 60 years later, the church needed another big change. Between 1843 and 1845, it was mostly rebuilt by the architect James Hakewill. However, he was careful to reuse some parts of the older church. The walls of the main central part (the nave) and the curved end of the church (the apse) from the 1783 building were kept and included in the new design.
A New Purpose
In 1993, the Church of England decided it no longer needed the building, so it became "redundant." For a while, it was used for large music events.
More recently, the building was taken over by the Christ Apostolic Church UK. Today, it is once again used as a place of worship, giving the historic building a new life.
A Building at Risk
The church is currently on a special list kept by Historic England called the Heritage at Risk register. This list includes historic buildings and places that are in danger of being lost due to neglect, decay, or damage. Being on this list means the building needs special care and attention to make sure it can be preserved for the future.
External links
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/50780708@N02/5588680851
