Details
LEEDS
SE3033NW MARK LANE
714-1/76/240 (North side (off))
26/09/63 Church of St John
GV I
Church, now redundant. 1632-34, altered 1830-38, restored
1866-68. Founded by John Harrison. Tower remodelled 1830-38 by
John Clark. Restoration 1866-1868, including S porch and new
vestry, by Richard Norman Shaw, with reinstatement of C17
woodwork and further restoration by Temple Moore 1890 onwards.
Ashlar, grey slate roof.
PLAN: west tower, nave and S aisle, chancel not clearly
defined, S porch, all embattled with pinnacles.
EXTERIOR: Perpendicular style. West tower: 3 stages, diagonal
corner buttresses with crocketed pinnacles, 2-light W window
with hoodmould, stage 1; square panel with clock face in
cusped surround on W, N and S sides, stage 2; 3-light belfry
openings with ogee hoodmould to stage 3.
S porch: angle buttresses, pointed arch with chamfered and
moulded reveals, sundial above, impost moulding carried round
as sill band to 2-light side windows.
Nave and aisle: 4-light flat-headed Perpendicular windows with
cusped lights, dripmoulds and small arched-head lights above.
5-light traceried windows to E end, nave and aisle, and aisle
W end. Added range at base of tower, N side, has 3 paired
windows.
INTERIOR: contains octagonal arcade piers, some partly
moulded, capitals carved with acanthus leaves and ball
ornament. Timber roof with tie beams and wooden corbels in
form of angels and musicians, king posts, fretted and gilded
pendants, moulded plaster between rafters and purlins in the
form of panels of strapwork with roses, oak leaves, acorns,
vines and other plants.
FITTINGS: magnificent contemporary fittings; original screen
across nave and aisle heavily carved: solid dado, arcading
with tapered balusters with Ionic capitals, entablature over
with carved frieze and large strapwork panels over 2
entrances. Pulpit with tester; pews with turned finials,
cresting and carved ends. Wooden Royal Arms. 3 brass
chandeliers.
MONUMENT: John Harrison, 1656, a cloth merchant, the leading
Leeds citizen of his day and the greatest single benefactor in
the history of Leeds.
Shaw's severe restoration included the addition of porch and
vestry; a careful replacement of features removed in this
restoration was carried out after 1888 by Temple Moore for the
Dean, John Scott. The original wood carving is thought to be
the work of Francis Gunby who also worked at Temple Newsam.
Undergoing repairs at time of survey.
A rare Gothic survival building in Perpendicular style. For a
detailed study of the church and its fittings, see Douglas and
Powell.
(Linstrum, D: West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture:
London: 1978-: 179; Douglas, J & Powell, K: St John's Church,
Leeds, A history: London).
Listing NGR: SE3024833855
