St John the Baptist Church, Inglesham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist Church, Inglesham |
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St John the Baptist Church, Inglesham, from the south-east
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| OS grid reference | SU 20532 98431 |
| Location | Inglesham, Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 26 January 1955 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Rendered rubble stone, Stone roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Highworth with Sevenhampton and Inglesham |
| Deanery | Swindon |
| Archdeaconry | Malmesbury |
| Diocese | Bristol |
| Province | Canterbury |
The St John the Baptist Church in Inglesham, near Swindon, Wiltshire, England, is a very old church. It has parts that date back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Most of the church you see today was built around the year 1205.
This church is special because much of it has stayed the same since the medieval times. It is listed as a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important historically. Since 1981, it has been looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust.
St John's Church is located by the water meadows, where the River Thames, River Coln, and the Thames and Severn Canal meet. Inside, you can find amazing wall paintings. Some of these paintings are over 600 years old! There are even places where you can see up to seven layers of paint, one on top of the other. The church also has an Anglo-Saxon carving of the Mother and Child. You can also see old box pews, a pulpit, and memorials.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Beginnings and Royal Connections
In 1205, King John gave this church to the Cistercian monks of Beaulieu Abbey. Later, in 1231, Pope Gregory IX allowed Beaulieu Abbey to take control of the church at Inglesham. This happened because King Henry III asked for it.
In 1355, the Inglesham manor and church were given to a hospital in Leicester. This hospital was called the College of the Annunciation of St. Mary.
Saving the Church: William Morris's Campaign
In the 1880s, people planned a big restoration for the church. This meant they wanted to make many changes. However, William Morris, a famous English artist, writer, and socialist, lived nearby. He was part of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Morris strongly believed the church should be saved without changing its original look. He started a campaign to protect the building. His efforts led to the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) raising money to help. Morris had helped create SPAB in 1877. The society's goal was to "resist all tampering with either the fabric or ornament of the building as it stands."
SPAB hired J. T. Micklethwaite to manage the repair work in 1888 and 1889. An expert named Oswald Birchall surveyed the church. Then, Morris and John Henry Middleton wrote a report for SPAB in 1885. They suggested that the repairs should be paid for by the fund, as the local church leader, George Woodbury Spooner, said the villagers could not afford it.
Later Repairs and Preservation
More restoration work happened in 1933. Percival Hartland Thomas helped replace parts of the reredos (a screen behind the altar) from around 1330.
The church was officially declared redundant (meaning it was no longer used for regular services) in April 1980. It was then given to the Redundant Churches Fund in October 1981. This fund is now known as the Churches Conservation Trust, which takes care of old churches like St John's.
Church Architecture
This small church does not have a tall tower. Instead, it has a 13th-century double bellcote on its west gable. A bellcote is a small structure on the roof that holds bells. This one has two bells from 1717.
The church walls are covered in limewash and are about 26 inches (660 mm) thick and 21 feet (6.4 m) high. The main part of the church, called the nave, is 25 by 13 feet (7.6 m × 4.0 m). It has an aisle (a passage). The chancel (the area around the altar) is 21 by 12 feet (6.4 m × 3.7 m) and does not have an aisle. The chancel's roof may even date back to the 13th century.
Outside the church, there is a 15th-century stone cross. It has three steps leading up to a tall stone base. This cross is also a listed building, showing its historical importance.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is full of amazing wall paintings. These paintings were created between the 13th and early 19th centuries. Some of them are shown in Professor E. W. Tristram's book, English Wall Painting of the Fourteenth Century. He noted that parts of a reredos with paintings of four saints still exist.
Some of the wall paintings are on plaster that is crumbling. They are sometimes hidden behind texts painted after the English Reformation. In some places, the paint is up to seven layers thick! You can see 15th-century angels above the chancel arch and a 14th-century painting called a Doom on the east wall of the north aisle. Later, during the Victorian era, texts like the Ten commandments, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer were painted on the walls. In 2010, work was done to restore these paintings, which meant the church had to be closed for a while.
One very special item is a 42-by-24-inch (107 cm × 61 cm) carving of the Mother and Child. This carving dates back to the Anglo-Saxons. Until 1910, it was on the outside of the church and used as a sundial (a device that tells time using the sun). It had lines and a hole for the gnomon (the part that casts a shadow). We don't know where it was originally placed inside the church, but it might have been above the altar.
The church also has Carolean-style box pews, which are like individual seating areas. There's also a hanging pyx (a container for the Eucharist). The font, used for baptisms, is from the 15th century. The Jacobean pulpit (where sermons are given) and its tester (a canopy above the pulpit) are from around 1630. In the chancel, there is a Tournai marble slab with a carving of a knight from about 1300. The piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) is from the 13th century.
On the chancel floor, there is a 10-foot (3 m) black marble slab. This slab once held a brass image of a 14th-century knight with a helmet and sword.
Parish Life
In 1940, the Inglesham church area was joined with Highworth, which is about 4 miles (6 km) away. The Highworth parish is still responsible for taking care of the churchyard at Inglesham.
Why This Church is Special
St John's Church was a particular favorite of John Betjeman, a famous poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was also a founder of the Victorian Society.
Richard Taylor, who presented the BBC Four show Churches: How To Read Them, chose Inglesham as his favorite church. He visited hundreds of churches for his program. He said, "It was a totally unassuming building, sat in the middle of the countryside. But, despite its humble appearance, inside, this church told the story of over 1,000 years of religious history." He mentioned the Anglo-Saxon carvings, medieval wall paintings, and Bible passages from the Reformation. The TV show also highlighted how local artist William Morris fought against Victorian changes in the 1880s, showing a great example of local campaigning.
Gallery
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Box pews
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Wall painting
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The font
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Mural of the Ten Commandments
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The interior
See also
Sources
