Nominal: 1074.5 Hz Weight: 779 lbs Diameter: 32.88" Bell 1 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1930
Dove Bell ID: 2285 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
East Witton: St John the Evangelist
Diocese of Leeds
Church, 646212
http://www.jervaulxchurches.co.ukOverview
Grid reference: SE 146 860
St John's is an early 19th century, Gothic revival church, replacing two earlier churches in the area, primarily the ancient church of St Martin's in Lowthorpe, which was in a state of disrepair. The parish has historically had close links to the nearby (now-ruined) Jervaulx Abbey, and the church, described by Pevnser as 'remarkably substantial', now sits at the east edge of the village.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave and chancel in one, north and south aisles, south porch, north baptistry and west tower.
Footprint of Church buildings: 380 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
St John's is not the first church built to serve the congregation in East Witton. St Martin's church was slightly south of the present village, in an area known as Lowthorpe (or Low Thorpe). In 1810, it was described as 'a very ancient building and in such a dilapidated state as to be almost ruinous and in an inconvenient situation for the parishioners being more than a quarter of a mile from the village'. Thus it was decided to build a new church for the parish.
Land was exchanged with the Earl of Ailesbury for a more central location within the village, and he also offered to fund the building of the new church. Henry Hake Seward was appointed as architect for the new building, although the construction of the church was not without its challenges. The long-serving vicar of East Witton, Leonard Howson, died in June 1811, having served the parish for 56 years, leaving the village without a vicar or a church, as St Martin's had been pulled down by this point. Military campaigns against France in 1811 led to local craftsmen being called to arms, slowing down building progress, delaying completion to spring 1812. At the time of building, the parish was within the Diocese of Chester, and there were delays to the bishop visiting the new church to consecrate it and its churchyard. Consecration took place on 1st October 1812.
The church was restored and its interior reordered in the 1870s by George Fowler Jones, likely including alterations to the internal walls around the chancel. At one time, there was a double-decker pulpit and box pews, but the current pulpit is from 1947.
The building was listed Grade II in 1967.
Exterior Description
St John's church is built of ashlar sandstone with a stone slate roof. It was largely built at once from 1810 to 1812, in the Gothic revival style and is fairly symmetrical and consistent in style as a result.
The west tower stands tall over the rest of the building, with four stages and a crenelated parapet. There is a flat-headed, hood-moulded door in the west side, a style used on all the major doorways around the exterior of the building. A plaque sits above the door commemorating the building of the church in the 50th year of George III's reign. A clock face is on the third stage, just above the string course, supplemented by small single-light windows on the other sides, and belfry openings around the fourth stage.
The aisles advance either side of the tower, with west windows for each aisle flanking the tower from behind. The south porch is gabled and features a quatrefoil design above the doorway. The south aisle has three identical style, tall, four-light windows with uncusped Y tracery leading up to a door of the same style as before, with a small, five-cusped window.
At the east end is a large, arched five-light window with Perpendicular-style tracery. There is a cross at the gable, pinnacles at the corners, and the parapet is crenelated.
The north aisle is much the same as the south aisle, with a three-light lancet window above the doorway in the easternmost bay. The baptistry has a two-light geometric window.
A detailed, technical account of the building can be found in the Historic England list entry.
Interior
Interior Description
Entering through the south porch into the nave, of immediate attention are the tall Perpendicular-style arches, giving the nave and aisles their four bays, and the corresponding chancel arch with a Tudor rose on the soffit. The walls of the chancel are lined with late 19th century encaustic tiles and a tiled reredos. At the west end of the nave, over the tower doorway, is a quatrefoil plaster coat of arms of Queen Victoria. The wooden pulpit at the front of the nave is from 1947 by Mouseman of Thirsk.
Bells
Nominal: 1780.5 Hz Weight: 394 lbs Diameter: 24.06" Bell 2 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1915
Dove Bell ID: 19545 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1590.5 Hz Weight: 423 lbs Diameter: 25.31" Bell 3 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1915
Dove Bell ID: 19546 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1428 Hz Diameter: 26.88" Bell 4 of 6
Founded by Thomas II Mears 1812
Dove Bell ID: 19547 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1340.5 Hz Diameter: 28.38" Bell 5 of 6
Founded by Thomas II Mears 1812
Dove Bell ID: 19548 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1201 Hz Weight: 657 lbs Diameter: 30.56" Bell 6 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1915
Dove Bell ID: 19549 Tower ID: 14989 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SE 146 860
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
The churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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