Description

SK 69 SE MISSON CHURCH STREET
(north side)

4/59 Church of St John
the Baptist and
1.2.67 boundary wall

G.V. I

Parish Church, C14, C15, C16, C19: restored 1882, 1886, 1894.
Lady chapel restored 1920. Ashlar, random rubble and brick,
partly rendered; ashlar dressings; slate and felted roofs. West
tower, north aisle, nave, chancel, south aisle, south porch.
West tower C14 and C19, 2 stages; moulded plinth, 2 stringcourses
pair of gargoyles to north and south, crenellated parapet with 4
crocketed pinnacles. To west, pair of angle buttresses, 3
setoffs; pair of buttresses to east, engaged with aisles, 2
setoffs. To west, C14, chamfered and rebated doorway with
hoodmould containing close boarded door. Above, C14 chamfered
and rebated opening with hoodmould, containing cusped head triple
lancet with panel tracery. Above again, clock dial. To south
above, single unglazed lancet. Second stage has 4 C19 chamfered
and rebated openings with label moulds, containing cusped ogee
heads double lancets. North aisle, C15 and C16, 4 bays; moulded
plinth, lintel band, eaves, band moulded crenellated parapet with
remains of 2 pinnacles. Diagonal buttress at corners, 2
intermediate buttresses as, all 2 setoffs. Large central C19
rubble buttress engaged with C20 brick and rubble outbuildings
with pantiled roofs. All windows have square heads, rebated and
splayed reveals, chamfered mullions and hoodmoulds; east window
has 4 C16 round headed lancets. North wall east window has 3
round headed lancets; to right, 2 similar windows with 4 lancets
westernmost bay has blockd Tudor arched doorway with hoodmould.
West window has 3 square headed lancets. Nave clerestorey, 3
bays, has moulded stringcourse, 2 gargoyles each side,
crenellated parapet with remains of 2 pinnacles; 3 C15 square
headed splayed openings each side containing double trefoil-
headed lancets. Chancel east end, rendered, has small central
buttress and pair of flanking buttresses, 2 setoffs; moulded
eaves band gable raised in brick. Central window has square
head, chamfered and rebated reveal, containing C19 quadruple
lancet with single row of reticulated tracery and moulded
mullions. South aisle C14, C15 and C16 , 5 bays. 3 bays to
west, C14, have moulded plinth, eaves band, 2 mutilated
gargoyles, crenellated parapet, remains of single crocketed
pinnacle. Single intermediate buttress and 2 diagonal buttresses
that to east engaged with eastern bays, tall 2 setoffs. To west,
four centred arched splayed and rebated opening, containing
cusped head triple lancet with splayed mullions. To east, four
centred arched coved and rebated reveal containing cusped,
trefoil-headed triple lancet with splayed mullions. Eastern-most
2 bays, C16 have moulded plinth, sill band, eaves band, moulded
crenellated parapet with remains of single pinnacle. Single
intermediate buttress and single diagonal buttress to east, 2
setoffs. South side has off-centre four centred arched moulded
doorway with square hoodmould containing C19 weatherstripped
door. To left, square headed cove moulded and rebated reveal
containing C16 quadruple round headed lancet with splayed
mullions. To right, chamfered and rebated C15 Tudor arched
opening with hoodmould and mask stops, containing Decorated
cusped head triple lancet with splayed mullions. East end has
single round headed cove moulded and rebated opening with cusped
headed triple lancet with splayed mullions, restored. South
Porch, C14 has moulded plinth and eaves band, moulded parapet,
crenellated gable. Chamfered and rebated pointed arched south
doorway with hoodmould. Interior has stone benches moulded
octagonal corbels and 4 bay stone vaulted roof, with chamfered
ribs. South doorway has four centred arched moulded opening and
C15 plank door with remains of traceried panels. Nave north
arcade C14, 3 bays, has 2 circular piers with canted square
octagonal bases and moulded octagonal capitals. Moulded
octagonal responds low pitched double chamfered and rebated
arches. South arcade, C14, 3 bays, has 2 circular piers with
canted square octagonal bases and moulded octagonal capitals
moulded octagonal responds, low pitched double chamfered and
rebated arches. South arcade, C14, 3 bays, has 2 octagonal piers
with canted square bases, moulded octagonal capitals and moulded
octagonal responds. Arches double chamfered and rebated
clerestorey has 3 C19 square-headed spayed reveals each side.
Roof C19, very low pitch, with moulded tie beams and purlins, and
carved bosses. Font octagonal plinth, tapered octagonal stem,
octagonal bowl, 1662. C20 pulpit re-using pieces of C17 panelling
C19 stem-type timber lectern, moulded pitch pine pews. Tower
arch, C14, opened out 1886, double chamfered and rebated.
Flanked by substantial tower buttresses, 2 setoffs. Above,
remains of moulded coping to former nave gable. Opening contains
C19 3 bay traceried timber screen, and above C20 plywood and
glass screen. To west, low doorway with for centred arched head.
North aisle has, to west square headed splayed blocked doorway.
To north, classical style memorial tablet, 1837. Roof has
moulded curved brackets to principal rafters, carved bosses; C19
with some, C15 re-used timber. Moulded C19 pews. Lead plaque
1726 removed from roof of south aisle has triangular head with
moulded border and fleur de lys ornament, inscribed 'Mr Hen
Richeson' Mr Pe Cuda (sic) Ch wardens cha Wilson Plumer 1726'
and inscribed 1726. Also has several hand and foot impressions
inscised. Chancel arch, C14 double chamfered and rebated, with
moulded octagonal imposts. Contains 5 bay timber screen, 1906.
Perpendicular style, with decorative cross 1916. Chancel north
arcade, C13 and C14, 2 bays. Intermediate rectangular support.
Western bay C13, has half round imposts with moulded circular
caps. Eastern arch C14 double chamfered and rebated with moulded
octagonal imposts. South arcade, C14, 2 bays, has central
octagonal pier with canted octagonal base and moulded octagonal
cap, and moulded octagonal imposts. Arcade contains C19 timber
screen. Decorated style, 12 bays plus doorway. East end has
stained glass 1886 and C19 timber framework, Decorated style with
painted commandments on canvas. Roof, partly C17 restored with
chamfered tie beams and plain, strutted kingposts, close boarded.
Fittings inlcude, moulded C19 benches, chip-carved C17 chair,
memorial brasses 1884 and 1891, and board describing ownership of
chancel. South aisle, 2 eastern bays, enclosed by C20 3 bay
timber screen. Decorated style, to form chapel.In south east
corner, C15 square piscina. Brass war memorial, 1918 and brass
of 1920. Outside, ashlar and rubble boundary wall with stone
coping, C18. To west, ramps to moulded square stone, gatepiers
with matching caps, to east pair of timber posts with C19 iron
wicket gate. Extends along Middle Street, Church Street and
Vicar Lane, approx 125 m.

Listing NGR: SK6910394927

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 17 August 2017.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527905

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)