History in Structure

Former Church of St John the Divine

A Grade II Listed Building in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.3918 / 53°23'30"N

Longitude: -0.7722 / 0°46'19"W

OS Eastings: 481750

OS Northings: 389027

OS Grid: SK817890

Mapcode National: GBR RY16.MW

Mapcode Global: WHFG5.30KM

Plus Code: 9C5X96RH+P4

Entry Name: Former Church of St John the Divine

Listing Date: 12 May 1977

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1063540

English Heritage Legacy ID: 196264

ID on this website: 101063540

Location: St John's Church, Gainsborough, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire, DN21

County: Lincolnshire

District: West Lindsey

Civil Parish: Gainsborough

Built-Up Area: Gainsborough

Traditional County: Lincolnshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Lincolnshire

Church of England Parish: Gainsborough All Saints

Church of England Diocese: Lincoln

Tagged with: Church building

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Description



910/2/146 ASHCROFT ROAD
12-MAY-77 (East side)
FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE

(Formerly listed as:
ASHCROFT ROAD
CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE)

GV II
DATES OF MAIN PHASES/ NAMES OF ARCHITECTS:
Begun in 1881-3 to designs by J T Micklethwaite and S Clarke, but not completed until 1901-4. Converted in 2004 for use as an arts and performance space.

MATERIALS:
Red brick with very limited Ancaster stone dressings. Slate roofs.

PLAN:
Partially aisled nave (western 3 bays only), chancel, SE organ chamber and vestry.

EXTERIOR:
A severe, French-influenced lancet style with good brickwork. The W end has a central buttress topped by a blocky bell turret. On either side is a three light window with stepped lancets within a single, pointed arch. Plain, round-headed doors in the W ends the aisles. There are similar 3 light windows and brick buttresses on the side elevations. The E wall is blind. Gabled, half-timbered oriel on S side.

INTERIOR:
A large, open space dominated by the tall arcades with octagonal piers. The arcades are of 8 bays, but only the western 3 bays open into proper aisles. The piers of the eastern 5 bays are freestanding, but have a wall immediately behind them. The W responds of both arcades are long to create internal porches in the W ends of the aisles. There is an embattled cornice with fleurons in the chancel.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES:
Polygonal C19 font rood beam with a cross and a stone altar on a raised platform. Otherwise the fittings have been removed.

HISTORY:
Begun in 1881-2 to accommodate the rapidly growing population of Gainsborough. The original plans were for a 6-bay aisled and clerestoried nave, 2-bay aisled chancel and a W tower, and the blind, unfinished aisles in the chancel and eastern part of the nave reflect this ambition. In the event, however, only the body of the chancel and eastern 4 bays of the nave were built in 1881-2; the western part of the nave, including the partial aisles, was added in 1901-4. The architects for both phases were the highly regarded church architects J T Micklethwaite (1843-1906) and Somers Clarke (1841-1926). The church became redundant in 2002 and was converted to an arts and performance space in 2004.

SOURCES:
Pevsner, N and Harris, J., Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (2002), 295
Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Buildings Society, 10340 and 10533

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
The former church of St John the Divine is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Plain and severe brick church designed by J T Micklethwaite and Somers Clarke, built in two phases 1881-3 and 1901-4.
* High quality 8-bay arcades internally, partially blocked and reflecting an unexecuted plan for a bigger church.
* Group value with the former vicarage (gv).

External Links

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