Description

MIDDLETON CHURCH LANE
SP19NE (North side)
2/77 Church of St. John the Baptist
GV II*
Church. Mid-C12 with major additions of circa 1300 and of the late C15; further
additions of the C18/early C19; restored 1876. C12 coursed sandstone rubble and
late C15 ashlar; plain tile roof over the north aisle; the other roofs are
hidden behind the parapet. West tower with diagonal buttresses, 4-bay nave with
north aisle incorporating a western vestry, 2-bay chancel with diagonal
buttresses. West tower: late C15. 4 stages: plinth with moulded coping, moulded
third stage and parapet strings and a crenellated parapet with continuous coping
around the merlons and embrasures. West door with 4-centred arch, 2
hollow-moulded orders, and a heavily crocketed hood mould. Pointed 3-light
window above with cinquefoil cusping and panel tracery. Trefoil-headed loops to
the third stage and pointed 2-light belfry openings with cinquefoil cusping and
panel tracery. All windows have heavily crocketed hood moulds including the
staircase loops at the south-west corner. On the south side of the tower is a
niche with crocketed nodding ogee arch flanked by finials. Nave and north aisle:
C12 south door with half-roll and chevron moulded arch within a C18 brick
(Flemish bond) porch with stone coped gable. The entrance to the porch has a
semi-circular arch springing from imposts, with a raised keystone. To the left
is a C19 tall 3-light mullioned window and to the right 3 C15 clerestory windows
each with 3 trefoil-headed lights and hollow-moulded surrounds. The north aisle
is of circa 1300. It has a nail-studded door with semi-circular head, and 2 C19
rectangular windows. Early C19 single-bay vestry extension to the west in a
Gothick style: large pointed north window of 4 lights with intersecting tracery
incorporating an ogee arch, and ogee moulded surround. 3-light west window with
intersecting tracery and pointed west door with raised surround. Chancel:
blocked C12 loop with semi-circular head, roughly in the centre of the north
side. The south side retains the head of a similar loop towards the west end
above the existing priest's door. This latter is a C14 or C15 insertion and has
a pointed head. Like the nave the chancel was given a clerestory in the late
C15. The windows have 3 trefoil-headed lights beneath a 4-centred arch and a
hollow-moulded surround. C15 east window of 4 trefoil-headed lights beneath a
4-centred arch. Both nave and chancel have a continuous parapet with moulded
string and coping. Interior: north arcade of circa 1300 with pointed arches of 2
chamfered orders on octagonal columns with moulded capitals. Tall C15 pointed
tower arch with outer sunk-chamfered order and inner wide ogee-moulded order,
both interrupted by moulded imposts. Late C15 chancel arch of 2 orders with
similar imposts to those of the tower arch. Squint between north aisle and
chancel (restored). Both nave and chancel have plastered ceilings with exposed
tie beams. Fittings: C18 baluster font. C19 octagonal font with panelled basin
on a squat pedestal, and a conical Gothick style font cover. C19 pine benches
with traceried ends. Late C17 pulpit, square with canted corners.a The sides
have fielded panels; the narrow ones contain twisted baluster-shafts and the
principal sides cherubs' heads. C15 chancel screen of 2:1:2 bays. The solid
lower panels have trefoiled arches with rendant cusps. 4-centred open arches
over the panel tracery; colonette shafts between the bays; the middle rail is
decorated with paterae. C19 stalls with elaborate poppyheads. C19 altar rail
with trefoil headed arcading on shafts. Monuments: chancel: Sir Richard Bingham,
died 1476, and his wife Margeret; floor slab with brass effigies of a man and
woman. Dorothy Fitzherbert, died 1507; brass plate and heraldic shield within an
arched recess. Lord Edward Ridgway, second son of Thomas Earl of Londonderry,
died 1638; kneeling effigy dressed in armour within a round-headed recess
flanked by Corinthian columns on brackets; surmounted by a central achievement
of arms and other heraldic devices to left and right. Francis Willoughby, died
1665, and his wife Cassandra, died 1675; very tall and elaborate wall monument.
Outer semi-circular arched recess containing an aedicule with segmental pediment
surmounted by an achievement of arms; pilasters decorated with trailing leaves,
cartouches at the feet and skulls in the capitals; centrepiece of 3 putti with a
garlanded urn above. North aisle: Samuel and Benjamin White, died 1688 and 1685;
2 busts within a recess with curtains to the sides and segmental pediment above.
Anne Budd, died 1718; oval tablet with urn on top. Stained glass: south window
by Kempe.
(Buildings of England: Warwickshire: p355; VCH: Warwickshire: Vol IV, (1965),
pp158-160)

Listing NGR: SP1768198346

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St John the Baptist, Middleton at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17550476

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)