St John The Baptist

1572 and 1574 by partial collapse of north-west tower

much of transepts and presbytery abandoned mid C16

EXTERIOR: ruined lower stage of north-west tower of badly eroded red sandstone has west window opening with ogee hoodmould C14, and east archway formerly to north nave aisle

ruined medieval walls link tower to north porch and C19 narthex on site of fifth bay of nave.

the inner archway, C12, has renewed colonnettes and original voussoirs with eroded mouldings.

The north transept has pre-C19 stepped buttresses and medieval coursed stonework below sill-level of north window, containing an inserted vestry door.

Restored 3-light mullioned and transomed Tudor-arched window with cusped heads to upper lights

the Lady chapel arch is Romanesque, the others probably C13.

Medieval stonework below sill of south transept window, refaced above

a Tudor-arched 3-light transomed window with cusped heads to upper lights.

INTERIOR: the 4-bay nave has simple probably late C11 arcades with plain circular columns on cruciform bases

the early C13 clerestory repeats the triforium rhythm, but with mouldings more developed.

damaged medieval painting on east column of north arcade.

The drastically shortened transepts have C16 end walls.

STAINED GLASS: west window glass by Edward Frampton 1887-90 at expense of first Duke of Westminster, depicting ecclesiastic historic events in Chester

SJ4066 : Chester, St. John the Baptist's Church: Stained glass window 1 (detail)

© Michael Garlick

memorial windows in nave aisles include, north-east, 1901 by Shrigley and Scott at expense of Chester master builders commemorating the architect TM Lockwood, depicting Hiram, builder of the Temple at Jerusalem.

FITTINGS: small red sandstone font, probably C17 re-discovered C19

C19 pulpit

Lady chapel reredos in timber, Baroque, now 2-panel, formerly wider, 1692

gates to Lady chapel C17, altered

aluminium figure of the Virgin 1969 by Michael Murray

mace board listing mayors of Chester 1529-1848.

MONUMENTS: include: to Diana Warburton 1693 by Edward Pearce, with sculpted skeleton

effigies on floor of north aisle, Agnes de Ridlegh 1347, a C14 Knight and C14 priest

reputedly Irish Norse C11 cross-heads

Matthew Anderton (Baroque plaque) 1693

Thomas Gamul 1677

Jane Brother 1666

brass to Edmund Borlase 1682 Mary Townshend and son George Crufts 1751

Robert Bulkeley 1679

Thos Hassall (C17)

brass to Alice Wright 1906

Katherine Wynne (sculpted plaque) 1650.

Edward Harbert 1691

brass war memorial 1939-45, 13 names

two presently unidentified hatchments

HISTORICAL NOTE: St John Baptist is the best example of C11-C12 church architecture in Cheshire, and of special interest for the upward broadening and horizontal curves observable in the stonework of the nave shown by WH Goodyear in 1914 to have been intentional rather than accidental.