St John the Baptist Church, Windsor facts for kids
St John the Baptist Church is a special church in Windsor, a town in the English county of Berkshire. It's named after St John the Baptist. The church was rebuilt in 1822 in a style called Gothic Revival. It's considered the main church for the town of Windsor. Many of Windsor's past Mayors are buried in the church or its churchyard. This church is a very important historical building, listed as Grade II* listed. Two of the three Protestant Windsor Martyrs, who faced severe punishment in 1543, were connected to this church.
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The Old Church Building
The first settlement in Windsor was in a place now called Old Windsor. Later, King Henry I moved the Royal Court to the Windsor Castle site in New Windsor. Records show that St John's Church existed by the time King Henry II was ruling. Over time, the old church had a main hall (nave), a special area for the altar (chancel), and side sections (aisles). Each part had its own roof. By 1818, the building was in poor condition, so people decided it needed to be rebuilt.
The Windsor Martyrs Story
During the reign of Henry VIII, big changes happened in England's religion. King Henry VIII separated the Church of England from the Pope and became its head. However, many of the church's beliefs remained similar to the Catholic faith, especially after 1539. A law called the Six Articles Act of 1539 made certain beliefs mandatory. For example, it insisted on transubstantiation (the belief that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ), that priests should not marry, and that people should confess their sins to a priest. Refusing to follow these rules could lead to severe punishment.
Anthony Pearson was a Protestant preacher who spoke in Windsor, including at St John's Church. Henry Filmer, a tailor, was a Churchwarden at St John's. Filmer was greatly influenced by Pearson's ideas and tried to convince the Vicar, Thomas Meister, to share similar views. News of these new ideas reached William Simmonds, who was the Mayor of Windsor and a Member of Parliament. Simmonds, along with Dr John London, reported these events to Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester.
Houses were searched, and Pearson and Filmer were arrested. Also arrested were Robert Testwood, a singer at St George's Chapel, John Merbecke, the organist at St George's, and Robert Benet, a lawyer. Benet avoided trial because he was very sick. The others were tried for heresy, which means having beliefs that go against official church teachings. A jury was specially chosen to make sure they were found guilty. Pearson, Filmer, and Testwood were executed for their beliefs on land north of the castle. This spot is now where the Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station stands. Merbecke, however, was pardoned. He later wrote important music for the Anglican church service called Holy Communion.
The New Church Building
The new St John the Baptist Church was built between 1820 and 1822. It was designed by Charles Hollis, with Jeffry Wyatt (who later changed his name to Wyatville) giving advice. The church was built using large, smooth stone blocks. It has special cast-iron columns shaped like four-leaf clovers. The main hall (nave) and side sections (aisles) are covered by cast-iron beams. Hollis's design followed the shape of the old church, and many old memorials and features were kept. The church has a tall tower at the west end with a clock and bells. The inside walls are plastered.
By the late 1800s, the smaller altar areas (chancels) of earlier churches were no longer popular. So, a famous church architect named Samuel Sanders Teulon was hired to improve the church. From 1869 to 1873, Teulon worked on St John's. He made the chancel longer and shaped it like a half-circle. These new parts were built with small grey stone blocks and lighter-colored Bath stone. Inside, the chancel walls are covered with smooth limestone. The arch leading to the chancel has colorful stones, which was a common design by Teulon. The church was reopened by Princess Christian.
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Above the west gallery inside the church, there is a large painting of the Last Supper. King George III gave this painting to the church in 1788. It had previously been an altarpiece in St George's Chapel. It was placed behind the altar in both the old and new St John's churches. However, after Teulon rebuilt the chancel in 1870, the painting was moved to the west wall, where it is today. The painting is believed to be by Francis Cleyn and was cleaned and repaired in 2003.
The church also has a special Royal Pew, which was a gift from Princess Augusta. She used to worship there. The front of this pew has a low screen with carved panels by Grinling Gibbons. These carvings show a pelican feeding its young. These panels were once part of the altar rail at St George's Chapel. King George III gave them to St John's in 1788, along with the Last Supper painting. They were originally placed with the painting, but this arrangement changed when Teulon rebuilt the chancel.
Because it's the civic church of Windsor, there's also a special pew for the Mayor. It even has a cushion for the Mayor's ceremonial mace.
The decorative screen behind the altar (called a reredos) has mosaic panels made by the Venetian artist Antonio Salviati. The screen in the chancel arch was added in 1898. It was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and was a gift to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Church Organs and Bells
We don't have many details about the very first organs in the church. A new organ was put in the old church in 1633 but was destroyed in 1650. The next organ we know about was installed in 1789. This was a large organ built by Father Smith (or possibly John Snetzler) for St George's Chapel. King George III then gave it to St John's, along with the Last Supper painting and the Grinling Gibbons panels. This organ was kept for the new church and placed in the West Gallery. In 1846, it was moved to another church and was later destroyed in an air raid in 1940. Its replacement was a smaller organ, which was moved to Langford Methodist Church in 1906.
The organ that replaced the previous one was a large Hunter organ. Half of its cost was paid by Andrew Carnegie. This organ was first played on Easter Day in 1906. It has been updated several times since then, in 1921-1926, 1936, and 2009. A full restoration of the organ is planned, and enough money was raised for it by 2020.
The church has a set of eight bells. All of them were made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Four of the bells were cast in the 1700s and were kept from the old church. The other four were made in the 1820s for the new church.
There is also a war memorial in the churchyard. It was officially revealed by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, in 1920.
People Connected to the Church
Important Clergy Members
Many notable people have served as Vicars or Curates at St John the Baptist Church. George Evans, who studied old things, was Vicar in 1663. John Barrow, who was also a Canon of Windsor and Chaplain to Prince Rupert of the Rhine, was Vicar from 1680 to 1682.
Other Vicars include Canon Henry John Ellison (1855–1875), who started the Church of England Temperance Society in 1862. His son, John Henry Joshua, also became Vicar later (1895–1913). Between the two Ellisons, Richard Gee (1878–1894) was Vicar. He later became a Canon of Windsor. Ernest Blackie was Vicar from 1913 to 1921. He later became a bishop and then Dean of Rochester.
Ralph Creed Meredith was Vicar from 1940 to 1958. He was a Chaplain to George VI and Elizabeth II. He was also a champion badminton player and represented New Zealand in croquet. David Nigel Griffiths was the Team Rector from 1973 to 1987. He was also a Chaplain to The Queen and later became the Archdeacon of Berkshire.
Some important curates (assistant clergy) include George Augustus Selwyn (1833–1841). He became the first Bishop of New Zealand and later Bishop of Lichfield. He also founded the Melanesian Mission, and Selwyn College, Cambridge, is named after him. The hymnwriter Samuel John Stone (Curate, 1862–1870) wrote the famous hymn The Church's One Foundation in 1866 while working at Windsor.
Important Organists
Sir George Elvey, who was the organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor, also served as organist for St John the Baptist from 1849 to 1861. Anthony Caesar was organist from 1948 to 1952. He later became a priest and served as Chaplain to the Queen. He also helped edit the New English Hymnal.
Notable Burials and Memorials
Many important people are buried in the churchyard or have memorials inside the church. Some of these people were buried elsewhere, but their lives are remembered here.
- Alexander Baker, who was a Member of Parliament for Windsor in 1660.
- James Thomas Bedborough, Mayor of Windsor in 1846 and 1853.
- William Canon, Mayor of Windsor in 1489.
- John Clode, Mayor of Windsor in 1825–1826 and 1830–1831.
- Matthew Day, Mayor of Windsor several times between 1610 and 1642.
- Idonea De Audele, who was the Abbess of Burnham Abbey from 1314 to 1324.
- James Eglestone, Mayor of Windsor in 1797, 1807, and 1821.
- James Ellison, a surgeon who worked for Queen Victoria.
- Humphrey Fawcett, Mayor of Windsor in 1602, 1607, and 1615.
- Topham Foot, a politician who ran for election in Windsor in 1712. His memorial in the church was made by the sculptor Peter Scheemakers.
- Richard Gallys, a Member of Parliament for Windsor and Mayor of Windsor several times. The church has his coat of arms.
- William Heberden, a famous physician.
- William Heberden the Younger, who was a physician to King George III and Queen Charlotte.
- Thomas Jenner, Mayor of Windsor in 1827.
- John Kirkpatrick, who commanded an East India Company ship called the Henry Addington.
- Sir George Henry Long, Mayor of Windsor in 1896.
- Sir Thomas Reeve, who was a Chief Justice in 1736–1737. His memorial was also made by Peter Scheemakers.
- Richard Washington, Mayor of Windsor several times between 1596 and 1613.
