St John The Baptist And St John's Gate

The N elevation includes at the E end St John's conduit, 2 lion heads and a tap below a carved panel of beasts to a shield inscribed 1866, recessed beneath a C19 four-centred arch dying into the jambs

above are 3 hemi-octagonal attached shafts below a C15 canted oriel window with cinquefoil lights and a crenellated cornice

to the W is an octagonal chimney on a carved corbel with a rendered stack

a deep drip over the C14 crypt of 6 bays, refenestrated with low, C15 three-light Tudor-arched windows, the W one blocked, and a small Tudor-arched ribbed door

2-bay late C15 chancel of 3-light windows with a shallow buttress in between

C14 four-bay nave of larger 3-light windows, and a short 4-light Tudor-arched clerestory window above the first bay, with a crenellated parapet.

S elevation of the chancel is 3 bays, windows as the N side with 2 doorways at either end with chamfered Tudor arches, that to the E is C19

At the W end is the gateway: the N elevation has a tall moulded C14 arch brought forward with a crenellated parapet, and 3 chamfered orders separated by hollow moulds

shields and a Royal Arms to the parapet above, and painted shield label stops to the outer arches

2-stage tower has diagonal buttresses, a lower window with 2 trefoil-headed lights, a central clock and tall 2-light belfry windows, gargoyles below a crenellated parapet and crocketed pinnacles

ogee memorial niche in S wall flanked by crocket finials, and 2 further plain, depressed ogee niches in N wall under windows

W section is 2 bays, with a more complex tierceron ribbed vault with bosses but no shafts, a fine ogee-arched memorial niche in S wall with cusping, shields to the spandrel below the label, and shields to the panelled front

2-bay chancel with relief crenellation across the middle of E wall, and 3 fine Tudor-arched studded doors with raised lozenges in panels, to each side and to S

billet moulding below the windows, and an arch and steps up behind the S chancel arch pier to the pulpit

the raised E bay has clerestory windows to former rood loft and a C15 roof with tie beams and posts to angel corbels, while the rest has a timber cornice to a shallow C15 arch-braced collar beam roof

FITTINGS: fine Laudian fittings include a very good communion table of 1635 with 6 legs and stretchers, a gated altar rail with twisted banisters, a plain panelled chest, 2 lecterns with scrolled brackets and guilloche moulding to the top, pews of 1621 with doors and a partially restored C17 west screen and organ loft with painted panels and fluted pilasters

brass 2-sided lectern c1690, and a C18 wrought-iron sword rest

a fine 1624 font has a square base on lion's feet, brackets to a basin, Greek cross in plan, with winged heads and roses, and an oak cover with 8 ogee brackets and a dove on top.

A rare hour-glass (held in the City Museum) from the time of the Commonwealth is attached beside the octagonal pulpit with tracery panels and Tudor flowers.

Memorials include a wall tablet, the Rowley Brass, to Thomas Rowley d. 1478, with inscribed figures

table tomb to Walter Frampton d. 1388 in an elliptical-arched recess in the chancel, with painted shields to the front panels and a recumbent praying effigy

Walter Frampton was chief benefactor for St John's until his death in 1388.