St John the Evangelist's Church, Weston Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St John the Evangelist's Church, Weston
St John's Church from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 509,805
Location	Weston, Runcorn, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St John's, Weston
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint John the Evangelist
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	5 April 1990
Architect(s)	Douglas and Fordham
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1897
Completed	1900; 125 years ago (1900)
Specifications
Length	88.5 ft (27.0 m)
Nave width	25 ft (7.6 m)
Other dimensions	Chancel width 18.5 ft (5.6 m)
Materials	Red {{br list sandstone ashlar \| Welsh slate roofs}}
Administration
Parish	St John, Weston, Runcorn
Deanery	Frodsham
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St John the Evangelist's Church is located in Weston, a village that is now part of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. This church is a very special building. It is listed as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's an important historical place. It is an active Anglican parish church, serving the local community. Many people think its design is "bold and original."

History of St John's Church
Architecture and Design
- Outside the Church
- Inside the Church
  - Stained Glass Windows
  - Organ and Special Letter
See also

History of St John's Church

St John's Church was built between 1897 and 1898. It was designed by architects Douglas and Fordham. The building cost more than £5,000 at the time. This was a lot of money!

How the Church Was Funded

To help pay for the church, the choirboys had a brilliant idea. They wrote thousands of letters to other choirboys and choirs across the country. This amazing effort got many people interested. Over 5,000 donations came in from people from all walks of life. Because of this, St John's is sometimes called "the choirboys' church."

Adding the Tower and Clock

The church's tower was added in 1900, costing about £700. In 1901, a clock made by J. B. Joyce was put in the tower. It cost around £60. Later, in 1998, an automatic system was added to the clock, also by Messrs. Joyce, for £3,250.

Becoming a Separate Parish

At first, St John's was a smaller church connected to Runcorn parish church. But in 1931, St John's became its own separate parish. This meant it had its own church community and services.

Architecture and Design

St John's Church is built from local red sandstone and has roofs made of Welsh slate.

Outside the Church

The church has a tower at the west (front) end. It also has a main area called the nave with a narrow aisle (a passage) on the north side. On the south side, there's a porch with steps leading up to it. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, is taller than the nave. There's also a room for the organ and vestries (changing rooms for clergy and choir) underneath the chancel.

The tower is described as "very short, very powerful" with a short, pointed roof called a broach spire. It has small windows called lucarnes. The church also has large supports called buttresses on the west and south sides. On the west side, there's a two-light window (a window with two sections) and a clock face above it. Each side of the tower has two-light openings for the bells.

Inside the Church

Inside, the pulpit (where sermons are given) is made of stone and has many sides. It features a carving of the Crucifixion. The font, used for baptisms, is also made of stone and has eight sides.

Stained Glass Windows

The church has beautiful stained glass windows:

In the south wall, there are two windows. One shows Isaiah and was made by L. A. Pownall. The other has four panels showing Joshua, Saint George, Saint Alban, and Gideon. This one was made by Percy Bacon.
The large east window shows the Crucifixion and was designed by C. E. Kempe.
Only one window in the north wall has stained glass, showing two angels. The artist is unknown.
The west wall has a window dedicated to Rev Frank Cartwright, a former vicar. It includes images related to the Anglican Diocese of Worcester and the Diocese of Chester, where he trained and worked.

Organ and Special Letter

The church's organ was built in 1898 by A. Young and later rebuilt in 1981 by the Jardine Organ Company. In the vestry, there's a framed letter from Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement. He sent it from South Africa in 1900, praising the boys of Weston Village for starting an Anti-Smoking Society.

St John the Evangelist's Church, Weston facts for kids

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