St John the Baptist's Church, Hartford
Encyclopedia
St John the Baptist Church, Hartford is in the village of Hartford
, Cheshire
, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building, and is the Anglican
parish church
of Hartford and Greenbank. It is in the diocese of Chester
, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Middlewich.
. The foundation stone was laid on 29 October 1873. The new church was consecrated by William Jacobson
, Bishop of Chester
, on 24 June 1875. At this time, the church consisted of the chancel
and nave
with its porches and the foundations of the tower. The tower, also designed by John Douglas, was then added and this was dedicated by William Stubbs
, Bishop of Chester, on 14 April 1887. On 20 June 1897 a ring
of six bells was dedicated
. The total cost of the church was £12,508 (£ as of ). In the 1920s a choir vestry was added to the east wall. In 1990 the church pipe organ was replaced by an electronic organ. In 1993 the roof was refurbished and during the following year the pews were replaced by chairs. In 1997–98 an extension was added to the west end of the church to provide extra seating, toilets and a kitchen.
with red sandstone dressings and a red tile roof. Its plan consists of a five-bay
nave with a clerestory
, north and south aisle
s, a two-bay chancel with a vestry
to the south and a chapel to the north, north and south porches and a west tower. The tower is in four stages with a stair turret
at the southwest corner which rises higher than the tower. The parapet
is embattled
. The tower is around 70 feet (21 m) high.
depicts the Last Supper
in a Gothic
gilded
setting. The authors of the Buildings of England
series describe the interior as being "altogether interesting, with a primitive look", commenting in particular that the two sides of the chancel are different. The main entrance to the church is now through the new west extension to the church.
tradition, and regular services are held. The church runs a variety of groups. In October 2009 work started to demolish and replace the church hall. It was replaced by St John's Church Centre, which opened in November 2010.
Hartford, Cheshire
Hartford is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies at the intersection of the A559 road and the West Coast Mainline and is less than south west of the town of Northwich...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building, and is the Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Hartford and Greenbank. It is in the diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Middlewich.
History
The first church on the site was consecrated in 1824. Following this the population grew and the church became too small. In 1873 it was decided that a new and larger church was needed. The new church was designed by John DouglasJohn Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
. The foundation stone was laid on 29 October 1873. The new church was consecrated by William Jacobson
William Jacobson
For the law school professor, see William A. JacobsonFor the Distinguished Service Cross recipient, see William Jacobson ....
, Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
, on 24 June 1875. At this time, the church consisted of the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with its porches and the foundations of the tower. The tower, also designed by John Douglas, was then added and this was dedicated by William Stubbs
William Stubbs
William Stubbs was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford.The son of William Morley Stubbs, a solicitor, he was born at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1848, obtaining a first-class in classics and a third in...
, Bishop of Chester, on 14 April 1887. On 20 June 1897 a ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
of six bells was dedicated
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
. The total cost of the church was £12,508 (£ as of ). In the 1920s a choir vestry was added to the east wall. In 1990 the church pipe organ was replaced by an electronic organ. In 1993 the roof was refurbished and during the following year the pews were replaced by chairs. In 1997–98 an extension was added to the west end of the church to provide extra seating, toilets and a kitchen.
Exterior
The church is built in buff sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with red sandstone dressings and a red tile roof. Its plan consists of a five-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave with a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, a two-bay chancel with a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
to the south and a chapel to the north, north and south porches and a west tower. The tower is in four stages with a stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
at the southwest corner which rises higher than the tower. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
is embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
. The tower is around 70 feet (21 m) high.
Interior
Internally the plaster and wooden reredosReredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
depicts the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
in a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
gilded
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
setting. The authors of the Buildings of England
Pevsner Architectural Guides
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and...
series describe the interior as being "altogether interesting, with a primitive look", commenting in particular that the two sides of the chancel are different. The main entrance to the church is now through the new west extension to the church.
Present day
The church continues to be an active parish church in the EvangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
tradition, and regular services are held. The church runs a variety of groups. In October 2009 work started to demolish and replace the church hall. It was replaced by St John's Church Centre, which opened in November 2010.