Former Church of St John the Divine
FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE, ASHCROFT ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1063540
- Date first listed:
- 12-May-1977
- List Entry Name:
- Former Church of St John the Divine
- Statutory Address:
- FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE, ASHCROFT ROAD
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-02-05
- Reference:
- IOE01/07257/07
- Rights:
- © Mr Trevor Sowray. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1063540
- Date first listed:
- 12-May-1977
- List Entry Name:
- Former Church of St John the Divine
- Statutory Address 1:
- FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE, ASHCROFT ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- FORMER CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE, ASHCROFT ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Lincolnshire
- District:
- West Lindsey (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Gainsborough
- National Grid Reference:
- SK 81750 89027
Details
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).
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 196264
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 25-Jun-2026 at 10:43:45.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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