St John the Baptist Church, Chipping Barnet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist Church, Chipping Barnet |
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| 51°39′12″N 0°12′04″W / 51.6532°N 0.2010°W | |
| Location | 2 Wood Street, Chipping Barnet, Greater London, EN5 4BW |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Barnet |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Hertford |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St John the Baptist Church is an important Church of England church in Chipping Barnet, London. It is a parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is part of a group of churches called the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry. This group includes St Mark's, Barnet Vale, St Peter's, Arkley, and St Stephen's, Bell's Hill.
The church sits at the top of Barnet Hill. It is located where Wood Street and High Street meet. St John the Baptist Church is special because it is one of the few Anglican churches in Greater London that belongs to the Diocese of St Albans.
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History of the Church
Records show that a small church, or chapel, was here in 1272. It was built to serve the people of the village and those visiting the market. Experts believe the building was first constructed around 1250. The first mention of a priest in Barnet was in 1258.
At that time, Chipping Barnet's church was a "chapel-of-ease." This means it was a smaller church that helped the main, older parish church of St Mary the Virgin in East Barnet. The two churches became separate in 1866.
The church is in the very center of the town. It was rebuilt around 1400 by John de la Moote, who was an abbot from St Albans. The architect for this rebuilding was Beauchamp. Even though its official name is St John the Baptist Church, many people still call it "Barnet Church" because it is so old. However, it is only the parish church for Chipping Barnet. Christ Church is the parish church for High Barnet.
Changes and Renovations
The church had a big renovation between 1871 and 1872. This work was led by William Butterfield, a famous architect. During this time, the tomb of Thomas Ravenscroft was moved. Thomas Ravenscroft was a local person who gave a lot of money to the community and died in 1630. His tomb was moved to a new chapel.
Other parts of the church were also designed by John Charles Traylen. These included the wooden spire, called a "flèche," the pulpit where sermons are given, and the decorative ends of the pews.
In the middle of the 1900s, the church's roof was repaired. Church House, another building nearby, was also restored. In 1974, a fire caused serious damage to the choir vestry, which was under the tower. The fire almost destroyed the entire building but was put out just in time. After the fire, new ideas came up for changes. These changes were made in 1984. They included new glass doors at the main entrance and a new choir vestry. The organ was also changed.
Fr Sam Rossiter-Peters became the vicar of the church on November 9, 2021. He followed Fr Chris Ferris, who started his role on September 1, 2014. Before Fr Chris Ferris, Bishop Hall Speers was the vicar, and his last service was on November 17, 2013.
The Church Building
St John the Baptist Church is an old and important building in Chipping Barnet. It has a main area called the nave, and two side areas called aisles. These areas are separated by columns that hold up four pointed arches. The church also has a chancel, which is the area around the altar, with a beautiful east window.
There is also a vestry, which is a room where clergy prepare for services. This vestry was built during the time of King James I by Thomas Ravenscroft. At the west end of the church, there is a low, square tower with battlements. In 1679, James Ravenscroft, who was Thomas's son, set up a charity. This charity still provides money to help repair and maintain the tomb of Thomas Ravenscroft and his wife, Thomasina.
Since 1950, St John the Baptist Church has been a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
Music at the Church
The church is not just a place for worship; it also hosts musical events. For example, it has been a venue for the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival.
How the Church is Organized
The church in Barnet is a "curacy." This means it used to be connected to the rectory of East Barnet. They were together until the last priest of both churches died in 1866. After that, the two churches became separate.
The parish of Chipping Barnet, which St John's Church serves, also had a "chapel-of-ease" built during the Victorian era. Later, the Chipping Barnet parish was divided into two. The chapel-of-ease, located on Bells Hill, Barnet, became its own parish church. It is now called St Stephen's.
