Church of St John Baptist

Details

SE 11 NE CHURCH LANE Kirkheaton

2/15 Church of St. John Baptist

23/6/65 G.V. II*

Church, mainly 1887-8 incorporating Perpendicular west tower and the north chancel chapel of the Beaumont family. Hammer dressed stone with ashlar dressings. Stone slate roof with gable copings. 3-bay nave, west tower, lean-to south aisle and pitched roof north aisle, both buttressed, 2-bay chancel with vestry on south side and Beaumont chapel to north. The 3-tier tower has later south porch, diagonal buttresses with off-sets to 1st tier, 2-light bell chamber openings with tracery, and crenellated parapet with crocketted pinnacles. 3-light west window to tower, and 6-light west window to north aisle both with Perpendicular tracery. Large square headed traceried 2-light windows to south aisle and 2, 3 and 4-light Perpendicular windows to north aisle. East chancel window is 5-light with intersecting tracery, with 2 circles and a cinquefoil in head. The 3-light east window of the Beaumont Chapel is original, square headed with 5-foiled lights. An original 3-light window exists on the north side of the chapel, 3-light with 5-foiled heads and curvilinear tracery.

Interior: 3-bay arcade to north and south on short octagonal piers. Hammer-beam roof to nave and north aisle.

Four extremely fine monuments in the Beaumont chapel: To Sir Richard Beaumont (d. 1631) of Whitley Hall, by Nicholas Stone, a recumbent effigy on a dresser tomb. Engaged Corinthian colonnettes to each side support round arched surround to the central plaque. Surmounting each colonnette is standing female figure and surmounting the arch is a coat of arms. All in marble and painted. To Richard Beaumont of Whitley Hall (d. 1692), a central plaque stating his many virtues. The plaque is supported by cherubs and surmounted by a male and female bust, and an urn and coat of arms. To Richard Beaumont of Whitley Hall (d. 1704), possibly by Guelfi (Pevsner) and dated 1731, a well carved bust under a simulated cloth baldacchino on a heavy consoled pedestal carved with palm leaves and flanked by framing urns, all supported on a heavily fluted sarcophagus with lions feet. To Charlotte McCumming (d. 1813), by S. & T. Franceys of Liverpool: the inscription is on a sarcophagus which is split, and rising from it is the spirit aided by two angels.

Also in the chapel is an C18 oak lecturn with bulbous stem.

Several other memorials in the rest of the church including one at the east end of the north aisle, to 5 members of the Dickins family who died between 1677 and 1702, a plaque with carved stone surround of flowers and foliage, crested with urns and a shield, and with two skulls at the base. At the base of the tower a well carved alabaster memorial to Robert Henry Tolson depicting St. Peter being released from prison by the angel.

Marble font, probably late C19, well carved with clustered pedestal and angels supporting 8-sided bowl.

At the west end of the north aisle, a long coffin lid with a shield and a sword, probably C13. (Pevsner).

N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, 1967.

Listing NGR: SE1788517222

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

341131

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Radcliffe, E, The Buildings of England: Yorkshire: The West Riding, (1967)

End of official list entry

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