Gunthorpe
St John the Baptist

Archaeology

There has been no work recorded on the site of the medieval church other than to note that some of the stones from it appear to form the foundations of the cottage opposite. The present church, which was built in 1850, was constructed further down the street, and is made of Bulwell stone which is from the Sneinton sand stone layers. The church has a Swithland slate roof.

Current Church Building

Core fabric 1850 with additions of 1991 and 2001

Nave and chancel of integral 1849/50 build.

External bell turret, also of 1850, integral with nave.

Significant Interior Features

Victorian font, probably contemporary with main building

Timbers and Roofs

  Nave Chancel Tower
Main Open pitched rafters and collars all 1850. Open pitched rafters and collars all 1850. n/a
S.Aisle n/a    
N.Aisle n/a    
Other principal n/a    
Other timbers      

Bellframe

Gable bell turret on western end of original 1850 nave. Elphick type ‘A’, Pickford ‘9A’. Single stone external bellcote of 1850 with trefoil head.

Walls

  Nave Chancel Tower
Plaster covering & date Plaster 1850 and later Plaster 1850 and later n/a
Potential for wall paintings Very unlikely Very unlikely n/a

Excavations and potential for survival of below-ground archaeology

No archaeological excavation has taken place at this church. The medieval church was not on this site.

The overall potential for the survival of below-ground archaeology - all of mid-C19th date - in the churchyard is considered to be high and below the present interior floors is considered to be high.

Exterior:The churchyard contains no burials. Expected archaeology is restricted to mid-C19th construction features and the previous use of the site (currently unknown) before the church was constructed.

Interior:A single build of 1849-50 except for the 1991 and 2001 additions. Below the floor it is expected that a single construction layer of mid-C19th date will overlie either natural, or stratigraphy from the earlier use of the site (not known).

The standing fabric is of limited interest in relation to mid-C19th construction methods.