Description

TF 30 NE
9/56

PARSON DROVE
CHURCH END (North Side)
Church of St John the Baptist

23.6.52

GV
II*
Parish church, originally a chapelry of Leverington parish, almost entirely late C15 or early C16 but with a C14 north aisle and C19 alterations, particularly to south aisle. There is a C13 outer archway to the small north porch, probably surviving from the original church or chapel on the site. In 1613 the chancel was destroyed in a storm.
The church is noteworthy for the vaulting to the interior of the west tower.

Late C15 or early C16 embattled west tower of Barnack ashlar and rubblestone. Of four stages on splayed plinth with angle buttressing and newel staircase in north east corner. Moulded main cornice with two gargoyles to each side. West doorway in two-centred arch and of two moulded orders with a label carried on small attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. West window of three trefoil lights in foiled head with two-centred arch with label and return stops. Similar windows to north and south walls, now blocked. Two cinquefoil openings to bell-stage with tracery similar to that of west window. Late C12 reused stone carved with figure of man in splay of plinth in south wall of tower.

Nave of rubblestone, repaired with red brick. Roof of slate. Each side of clerestory has six windows each of three lights with certical tracery in square heads. South aisle, also C15, but much rebuilt and refenestrated in C19, except for east wall which is of rubblestone with a window of three cinquefoil lights. South porch late C15 or early C16 with diagonal buttressing and parapetted gable. Similar inner and outer archways with hollow and wave mouldings. The responds have attached shafts with half-octagonal capitals. Moulded labels on small attached shafts similar to those of west doorway to tower. The chancel archway is now blocked. Two-centred arch with remains of rood staircase to the north. C14 north aisle of rubblestone on splayed plinth. Two centred arches, splayed sills and hollow moulded reveals to five C14 windows of two cinquefoil lights in ogee heads. The east window is of three lights. Small north porch with C13 outer archway of two chamfered orders in two-centred head with label and mask stops. Inner arch C14.

Interior; fine west tower interior. Vaulting with tiercerons and carved bosses at intersections with central, round opening for bell ropes. Tower arch two-centred and of two continuous moulded orders. The responds and soffit of the arch are divided into panels each of two bays with foiled heads. Four-centred arch to doorway to newel staircase. Nave. North and south arcades of seven bays, with the bays to the west partly blocked. Depressed, almost round arches of three moulded orders on columns composed of four grouped half-octagonal shafts divided by subsidiary shafts. Moulded half octagonal capitals and bases to each. The roofs of the nave and north and south aisles retain the original corbels.

Font, late C15. Octagonal bowl, stem and base. Each face carved with ornament. Pulpit, dated 1677 with C20 steps and base.

Listing NGR: TF3903009088

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St John the Baptist's Church at Wikipedia
• St John the Baptist's Church official website
• Wikidata Q7593728

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)