St. John The Baptist Church in the 1200's

The 13th Century

The Church in 1200

The only portion of definite 13th century work now remaining consists of the lower portion of the chancel east window, identifiable by the attached circular shafts on the mullions and reveals internally, typical of this century. This window may of course have been inserted in the east wall of the original smaller chancel and subsequently re-used, but if it is in original position, then the chancel must have been rebuilt to its present extent in the 13th century. The picture below shows this window (internally & externally) with the top replaced in 1875.

The Chancel (click each to enlarge)

Most of the features in the present chancel are of the 15th century, and its outside facing is of the same date, but this could result from the partial rebuilding and general renovations which were carried out at that time. The piscina, with double bowl and shelf at the east end of the chancel (Photograph below) is of the 14th century and further suggests that the enlarged chancel must be earlier than the 15th century, but again this feature could have been removed from a former position and re-used.

14th Century Piscina (Click to enlarge)

The present chancel arch may be of the 13th or 14th century, but the original llth century arch could have been removed and replaced by the present larger one independently of the rebuilding and enlargement of the chancel itself. The springing stone of this arch on the south side is rather curious and appears to have originally served some other purpose, perhaps in association with stone vaulting.

13th Century Floor Plan

It is considered by some authorities that the westerly arch in each of the two nave arcades belongs to the end of this century, and that the nave and both narrow aisles were therefore extended to the west at this time.

The Church in 1250

In spite of the appearance of the work, the arches are rather large both in span and height for such narrow aisles, and the completeness of the existing west wall of the south aisle (visible internally when plaster was removed for repairs in 1969) suggest that this extension westward was carried out after or at the same time as the widening of the south aisle in the following 14th century. Also in 1969, when the ground level was reduced against the wall around the west end of the south aisle to minimise rising damp, the lower parts of the walling including a double plinth were exposed, and although the plinth is somewhat irregular there are no signs that the wall was built at two different periods.