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 | |
| Parish | Chipping Barnet |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Hertford |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Albans |
St John the Baptist Church is a historic Church of England church in Chipping Barnet, Greater London. It's often called "Barnet Church" because it's so old. The church is located at the top of Barnet Hill, where Wood Street and High Street meet. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. It is also one of the few Anglican churches in Greater London that belongs to the Diocese of St Albans.
Contents
History of the Church
The first records of a church here date back to 1272. This early chapel was built around 1250 to serve the people of the village and the busy market. The first priest was mentioned in 1258. At that time, this church was a "chapel-of-ease." This meant 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 heart of the old town. It was rebuilt around 1400 by John de la Moote, who was the abbot of St Albans Abbey. The architect for this rebuilding was Beauchamp.
Renovations and Repairs
The church was greatly updated between 1871 and 1872 by a famous architect named William Butterfield. During this work, the tomb of Thomas Ravenscroft was moved. Thomas Ravenscroft was a local person who gave a lot of money to the community. He died in 1630. His tomb was moved from the main part of the church to a new chapel built just for it.
In the middle of the 1900s, the church's roof was fixed. In 1974, a fire caused serious damage to the choir vestry, which is a room where the choir gets ready. The fire almost destroyed the whole building, but it was put out in time. After the fire, new ideas came up for changes, which were made in 1984. These changes included new glass doors at the main entrance and a new choir vestry. The church organ was also changed.
The current vicar, Fr Sam Rossiter-Peters, started his role on November 9, 2021. He followed Fr Chris Ferris, who began in 2014.
The Church Building
St John the Baptist Church is an old and important building. It has a main area called a nave and two side areas called aisles. These are separated by columns that hold up pointed arches. The church also has a chancel, which is the area near the altar, with a beautiful east window. There is also a vestry, built by Thomas Ravenscroft during the time of King James I. 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, the church has been a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
Music at St John the Baptist
The church has a long history of choral music. The person in charge of music is currently Patryk Korczak.
The church choir performs concerts throughout the year. They also sing at Evensong every Sunday. Each year, the choir spends a week singing services in different cathedrals around the country. This happens when the cathedral's own choir is on holiday.
St John the Baptist Church also has a large organ. This organ is often used for special concerts called recitals. The church also hosts a "Christmas concert" each year from the Queen Elizabeth's grammar school for boys, which is nearby. The church has also been a venue for the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival.
How the Church Serves the Community
The church of St John the Baptist serves the parish of Chipping Barnet. In Victorian times, a smaller church called a "chapel-of-ease" was built to help serve the growing community. Later, the Chipping Barnet parish was divided into two. The chapel-of-ease, located on Bells Hill, became its own parish church, dedicated to St Stephen.
