Colwick
St John the Baptist

History

During the early part of the 20th Century the position of the old parish church had become problematic, as the population had developed in the second half of the nineteenth century some distance away to the east in the Netherfield area and to the north on the opposite side of the railway that opened in 1848. The development of a race-course to the north of the church also posed another obstacle for access to the church. The physical condition of the old church also gave cause for concern and a succession of repairs failed to solve the problems.

In 1921, two sites were considered for a new church, one a triangular piece of land, which would take a church, rectory and institute, with bowling greens and tennis lawns; the other, the corner piece opposite the former, which would only take a church and rectory. The larger site was £750 and the other £250. The Bishop gave approval for the immediate purchase of the smaller site and a New Church Building Fund was started in October 1921. J E Littler, FRIBA, architect, was engaged to draw up plans for a substantial Parish Hall, which would also be used as temporary parish church. The building, erected by Colwick Building Company, was opened on 29th August 1922. Some church services were held in the Parish Hall, including marriage services for which the hall had been licensed in 1923.

Over the next few decades there was considerable discussion about whether the permanent new church should be built 'on the Hill' or 'in the Vale'. The Vale and the Hill parts of the parish had been divided by the railway line that opened in 1848. New council estates built on the hill accommodated the majority of the population. On 17th January 1935, the Rector and Churchwardens signed the deed of conveyance for a site of 1.75 acres for a church on Oakdale Road, Colwick on the Hill that had been purchased by the Diocesan Finance Association for £650. But the Parochial Church Council objected to this decision, preferring the new church to be, where it has been previously, in the Vale. When the Bishop of Southwell visited the Parish in January 1936, he said that he had decided to approve a new church in the Vale and that there was a chance of getting a grant to pay for an Assistant Priest to reside on the Hill. In March, the Southwell Diocesan Council of Finance agreed to provide £1,000 towards a small permanent church.

Early in 1939 the Bishop was considering the union of the Colwick and Netherfield parishes and would not consider the building of a new church at that time. Then war intervened and no church building was permitted for the duration. This, and lack of funding, caused further delay and it was not until 27th March 1949 that a church on the hill in Oakdale Road was dedicated. This church is now known as St John the Baptist, Carlton.

On 26th February 1950 the Bishop of Southwell laid the Foundation Stone for the permanent church in the vale on Vale Road and the church was opened on Sunday, 17th June 1951. The final cost of building and fittings was £5,205.

The stone, now on
the west wall
The ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone

It had been hoped that it would be possible to use the oak roof beams, stone slabs and the bell from the old church, but in the end, only the slabs were used for the sanctuary in the new building. A memorial window to the late Rev Mr Hildesley and Mrs Hildesley was included on the west wall.

The church as it was originally built
The west end The south side The interior looking east The east end and altar

In 1977 an extension to the west end of the church, incorporating a kitchen, a meeting room and toilets, was built. A new pitched roof was added in 1985 replacing the former flat roof which had given a succession of problems.

A new rectory – St John’s House – was built in 1947 next to the church site. It was sold as surplus to requirements in 1980 after the amalgamation of Netherfield and Colwick parishes