Church of St John the Baptist

Summary

Designed by the firm of Seely and Paget in a mixture of Classical and Moderne styles and built in 1939.

Reasons for Designation

The Church of St John the Baptist, completed in 1939 to the designs of Seely and Paget, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* for an interesting mixture of Classical and Moderne styles, use of good quality materials, technological innovation for its use of concrete parabolic arches, and degree of completeness.
* it is comparable in date, quality and survival with other listed churches by Seely and Paget.

History

The earlier plans, dating to about 1925, for a church on the site designed by Sir Charles Reilly were never executed. A mission church of St Hilda was established by the London Diocesan House Mission in 1926 which was later replaced by the Church of St John the Baptist.

The foundation stone was laid on 25 February 1939 and the church was designed by the firm of Seely and Paget. It was funded from the sale of the Church of St John, Great Marlborough Street, Westminster which was demolished in 1937.

Details

Designed by the firm of Seely and Paget in a mixture of Classical and Moderne styles and built in 1939.

MATERIALS: concrete parabolic transverse arches, plinth and window surrounds, handmade two inch red brick walls, metal windows, copper semi-dome and pantiled roof.

PLAN: T-shaped, consisting of a nave and chancel in one, flanked by single storey north and south projections comprising Lady Chapel and vestry to the north and further vestries to the south.

EXTERIOR: the west front has a pedimented gable with a central 15-pane fixed window outside which is a copper semi-dome supported on four slender Tuscan columns enclosing a stone statue of St John the Baptist on three curved steps. There is a curved cornice below the columns and a wide doorcase with concrete surround and ribbed wooden door. The cornice extends out over attached single storey projections with narrow metal windows and narrower doorcases with concrete surrounds and ribbed wooden doors.

The north and south sides have a clerestory over narrow aisles with seven exposed concrete parabolic arches. The clerestory windows are fixed metal windows. The single storey vestries have two narrow fixed windows.

The east end has no windows but a chimney-like projection.

INTERIOR: a small central porch with double doors with Gothick glazing leads into the nave. The interior is plain with painted walls and concrete parabolic transverse arches to the nave and narrow passage aisles. The second bay from the west has a wide flying gallery for organ and choir approached up a narrow staircase.

Fittings include a simple octagonal stone font at the west end in a later railed enclosure and in the chancel a pair of simple Moderne style pulpits with attached clergy seats.

The north side has a plain Lady Chapel with a stained glass roundel and a vestry. The south side has two vestries.

Sources

Books and journals
Cherry, B, Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: London 4, North, (1998 revised 2001), 70, 572
A History of the County of Middlesex. Volume V, (1976), 348-355

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