Wales and Kiverton Park, South Yorkshire - St John the Baptist
St John the Baptist, Wales, South Yorkshire.
Grade ll* listed.
Looking west.
Short History
The early history of the Church is lost in the mists of time. Its early architecture is undoubtedly Norman with its massive round pillars , its semicircular arches with their simple decorative carving and its long low roof which was to be raised in later times. But there are traces of a much older structure in the irregular courses of undressed stone which form the lower part of the north wall. There may well have been an older church in this spot, destroyed by the invading Danes or pulled down by the Normans as being unworthy in their eyes to serve as the house of god. Other historians have suggested that the Normans used builders who had learned their trade from the Saxons and the Normans employed them to build the less decorative parts of the structure , hence the mixture of Saxon and Norman styles that can be seen throughout the country.
However there certainly was a Church here by the beginning of the 12th century a humble affair with its low roof and its Altar standing in its sanctuary very much smaller than the present one. The "Tub Font" large enough to Baptise babies by immersion as was the custom stood then as now near the entrance of the Church. Brought back after hundreds of years of exile from the churchyard outside to which it had been banished in1727 (at about time of the introduction of "Box Pews") by the ill judged enthusiasm of early reformers. The bowl was re-lined with Lead, the stand brought out from under the floor and restored to its rightful place in 1896.
Meanwhile in the 15th century the Church had been considerably enlarged and improved. The roof was raised, the hitherto solid side -walls were pierced by good, wide windows and adorned with battlements, a tower built and a bell hung, this latter addition also probably dating from pre-reformation times. In 1603 the Churchwardens were ordered to erect a Pulpit. This was the usual three Decker type, the Clerk below, the reading desk on the deck and the Pulpit itself on top. Later the bottom section was removed to make a single deck. The present Pulpit is dated 1727.
In the 18th century, probably about 1727, tribute was paid to the prevailing fashion of the times by the construction of box pews in the body of the Church, whilst a gallery was erected over the west door to accommodate those for whom no room could now be found on the floor.
In July 1889 Archdeacon Blakeney inspected the church and described it as being in a "deplorable condition" and said a new church should be built on the same site or on a spot nearer the centre of the ever spreading parish. The people decided the present site was the best and that enlargement and restoration of the existing Church was the most economical solution.
The enlargement was completed in the Spring of 1897 when, on Tuesday, May 11th the new Church was dedicated by the Archbishop of York. However, the work was not finished even then. The people had to wait until 1933 for the construction of the Chancel and the Vestries.
The first Service in the enlarged Church in 1897 was accompanied by an American Organ, lent by a local gentleman. A second-hand organ was then used. A new organ was not installed until 1911 costing £400. In 1936 an electric blower replaced the hand bellows and this is still in use today. The organ was rebuilt and enlarged in 1954 at a cost of £1,268
web.archive.org/web/20040611111426/http://www.stjohnschur...
Wales and Kiverton Park, South Yorkshire - St John the Baptist
St John the Baptist, Wales, South Yorkshire.
Grade ll* listed.
Looking west.
Short History
The early history of the Church is lost in the mists of time. Its early architecture is undoubtedly Norman with its massive round pillars , its semicircular arches with their simple decorative carving and its long low roof which was to be raised in later times. But there are traces of a much older structure in the irregular courses of undressed stone which form the lower part of the north wall. There may well have been an older church in this spot, destroyed by the invading Danes or pulled down by the Normans as being unworthy in their eyes to serve as the house of god. Other historians have suggested that the Normans used builders who had learned their trade from the Saxons and the Normans employed them to build the less decorative parts of the structure , hence the mixture of Saxon and Norman styles that can be seen throughout the country.
However there certainly was a Church here by the beginning of the 12th century a humble affair with its low roof and its Altar standing in its sanctuary very much smaller than the present one. The "Tub Font" large enough to Baptise babies by immersion as was the custom stood then as now near the entrance of the Church. Brought back after hundreds of years of exile from the churchyard outside to which it had been banished in1727 (at about time of the introduction of "Box Pews") by the ill judged enthusiasm of early reformers. The bowl was re-lined with Lead, the stand brought out from under the floor and restored to its rightful place in 1896.
Meanwhile in the 15th century the Church had been considerably enlarged and improved. The roof was raised, the hitherto solid side -walls were pierced by good, wide windows and adorned with battlements, a tower built and a bell hung, this latter addition also probably dating from pre-reformation times. In 1603 the Churchwardens were ordered to erect a Pulpit. This was the usual three Decker type, the Clerk below, the reading desk on the deck and the Pulpit itself on top. Later the bottom section was removed to make a single deck. The present Pulpit is dated 1727.
In the 18th century, probably about 1727, tribute was paid to the prevailing fashion of the times by the construction of box pews in the body of the Church, whilst a gallery was erected over the west door to accommodate those for whom no room could now be found on the floor.
In July 1889 Archdeacon Blakeney inspected the church and described it as being in a "deplorable condition" and said a new church should be built on the same site or on a spot nearer the centre of the ever spreading parish. The people decided the present site was the best and that enlargement and restoration of the existing Church was the most economical solution.
The enlargement was completed in the Spring of 1897 when, on Tuesday, May 11th the new Church was dedicated by the Archbishop of York. However, the work was not finished even then. The people had to wait until 1933 for the construction of the Chancel and the Vestries.
The first Service in the enlarged Church in 1897 was accompanied by an American Organ, lent by a local gentleman. A second-hand organ was then used. A new organ was not installed until 1911 costing £400. In 1936 an electric blower replaced the hand bellows and this is still in use today. The organ was rebuilt and enlarged in 1954 at a cost of £1,268
web.archive.org/web/20040611111426/http://www.stjohnschur...