Details
SO 71 NW HUNTLEY ROSS ROAD
(north side)
7/57 Church of St. John the Baptist
23.9.55
GV I
Parish Church. 1862/3 except for C15 tower. By S. S. Teulon for
Rev. D. Capper: carving by Earp. Tower irregular roughly -
squared stone, ashlar spire. Church lightly hammer-dressed red
stone, cream ashlar dressings, stone slate roof, stone ridges. 3-
bay nave, west tower, north aisle, 2-bay chancel, with south
transeptal organ chamber, north-east vestry, south porch. Tower
on left, with octagonal stair turret full height with angled corner
buttress, square-set over nave. Plain plinth; plain string course
at 1st stage, single-light square-headed window above, at top 2-
light square-headed window. Broach-spire by Teulon, foliate apex
and iron cross: spirelet to stair turret, foliate apex. Nave,
plain plinth, angled buttress to left corner, square-set to side:
two 2-light, one 3-light windows, curvilinear tracery, no
hoodmoulds. Plain projecting eaves, cross gablet kneelers and
eastern apex, base of stone cross. Porch gabled, cross gablet apex
with stone cross. Square-set corner buttresses; moulded door
surround with ogee-shaped hoodmould, terminating in flush panel;
carved heads as stops. Organ chamber gabled, with cross-gabled
kneelers and apex with stone cross: square-set corner buttresses,
south facing gabled. Between are 2 moulded strings, with 5-light
blind arcading, trefoil ogee heads, stylised flower backing.
Above crenellations form sill to trefoil-shaped window and
hoodmould with curvilinear tracery, set within two-centred
relieving arch. Stops to hoodmould a lion and a lamb: carvings
of musicians in window base, one with harp, one with organ. Above
window 2 blind lancets. Chancel projects half-bay with square-set
gabled buttresses, plain plinth, moulded string course and 3 blind
trefoils. On north semi-circular porch with pepperpot roof covers
vestry door: doorway trefoil-headed.
Interior: walls cream ashlar, red bands. Arch-braced collar
trusses to nave, off strongly-carved stone corbels, angel musicians
one side, symbols of 4 evangelists over portrait medallions other.
Aisle arcade has central columns with 4 detached marble shafts:
ornate foliate capitals above, figure stops to hoodmoulds.
Alternate voussoirs painted stylised flowers. Texts over all
openings and along eaves. Chancel panelled boarded, pointed
barrel vault, with ornate truss to define sanctuary. This, aisle
and chancel arch on marble columns. 2-seat stone sedilia and
piscina. Minton-tiled floor throughout church. ornate font on
pillared base in brass-railed enclosure in nave. Multi-coloured
marble pulpit with brass candle-holders; ornate marble lectern
with brass eagle and candle-holders: marble reredos in high relief
(these 3 shown at Great Exhibition of 1851). Lord's prayer and
creed on painted iron plates either side of chancel arch, decalogue
at east end. Glass in nave and north aisle sepia-tinted biblical
scenes with coloured surrounds, designed by Teulon. Brass oil
lamps on iron chains from wrought-iron brackets at corners of
chancel. (D. Verey, Gloucestershire, The Vale and Forest of Dean,
1970, p.275). __
Listing NGR: SO7133219609
