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Misson St John the Baptist

Official Listing Description

Parish Church, C14, C15, C16, C19: restored 1882, 1886, 1894. Lady chapel restored 1920. Ashlar, random rubble and brick, partly rendered; ashlar dressings; slate and felted roofs. West tower, north aisle, nave, chancel, south aisle, south porch. West tower C14 and C19, 2 stages; moulded plinth, 2 stringcourses pair of gargoyles to north and south, crenellated parapet with 4 crocketed pinnacles. To west, pair of angle buttresses, 3 setoffs; pair of buttresses to east, engaged with aisles, 2 setoffs. To west, C14, chamfered and rebated doorway with hoodmould containing close boarded door. Above, C14 chamfered and rebated opening with hoodmould, containing cusped head triple lancet with panel tracery. Above again, clock dial. To south above, single unglazed lancet. Second stage has 4 C19 chamfered and rebated openings with label moulds, containing cusped ogee heads double lancets. North aisle, C15 and C16, 4 bays; moulded plinth, lintel band, eaves, band moulded crenellated parapet with remains of 2 pinnacles. Diagonal buttress at corners, 2 intermediate buttresses as, all 2 setoffs. Large central C19 rubble buttress engaged with C20 brick and rubble outbuildings with pantiled roofs. All windows have square heads, rebated and splayed reveals, chamfered mullions and hoodmoulds; east window has 4 C16 round headed lancets. North wall east window has 3 round headed lancets; to right, 2 similar windows with 4 lancets westernmost bay has blockd Tudor arched doorway with hoodmould. West window has 3 square headed lancets. Nave clerestorey, 3 bays, has moulded stringcourse, 2 gargoyles each side, crenellated parapet with remains of 2 pinnacles; 3 C15 square headed splayed openings each side containing double trefoil- headed lancets. Chancel east end, rendered, has small central buttress and pair of flanking buttresses, 2 setoffs; moulded eaves band gable raised in brick. Central window has square head, chamfered and rebated reveal, containing C19 quadruple lancet with single row of reticulated tracery and moulded mullions. South aisle C14, C15 and C16 , 5 bays. 3 bays to west, C14, have moulded plinth, eaves band, 2 mutilated gargoyles, crenellated parapet, remains of single crocketed pinnacle. Single intermediate buttress and 2 diagonal buttresses that to east engaged with eastern bays, tall 2 setoffs. To west, four centred arched splayed and rebated opening, containing cusped head triple lancet with splayed mullions. To east, four centred arched coved and rebated reveal containing cusped, trefoil-headed triple lancet with splayed mullions. Eastern-most 2 bays, C16 have moulded plinth, sill band, eaves band, moulded crenellated parapet with remains of single pinnacle. Single intermediate buttress and single diagonal buttress to east, 2 setoffs. South side has off-centre four centred arched moulded doorway with square hoodmould containing C19 weatherstripped door. To left, square headed cove moulded and rebated reveal containing C16 quadruple round headed lancet with splayed mullions. To right, chamfered and rebated C15 Tudor arched opening with hoodmould and mask stops, containing Decorated cusped head triple lancet with splayed mullions. East end has single round headed cove moulded and rebated opening with cusped headed triple lancet with splayed mullions, restored. South Porch, C14 has moulded plinth and eaves band, moulded parapet, crenellated gable. Chamfered and rebated pointed arched south doorway with hoodmould. Interior has stone benches moulded octagonal corbels and 4 bay stone vaulted roof, with chamfered ribs. South doorway has four centred arched moulded opening and C15 plank door with remains of traceried panels. Nave north arcade C14, 3 bays, has 2 circular piers with canted square octagonal bases and moulded octagonal capitals. Moulded octagonal responds low pitched double chamfered and rebated arches. South arcade, C14, 3 bays, has 2 circular piers with canted square octagonal bases and moulded octagonal capitals moulded octagonal responds, low pitched double chamfered and rebated arches. South arcade, C14, 3 bays, has 2 octagonal piers with canted square bases, moulded octagonal capitals and moulded octagonal responds. Arches double chamfered and rebated clerestorey has 3 C19 square-headed spayed reveals each side. Roof C19, very low pitch, with moulded tie beams and purlins, and carved bosses. Font octagonal plinth, tapered octagonal stem, octagonal bowl, 1662. C20 pulpit re-using pieces of C17 panelling C19 stem-type timber lectern, moulded pitch pine pews. Tower arch, C14, opened out 1886, double chamfered and rebated. Flanked by substantial tower buttresses, 2 setoffs. Above, remains of moulded coping to former nave gable. Opening contains C19 3 bay traceried timber screen, and above C20 plywood and glass screen. To west, low doorway with for centred arched head. North aisle has, to west square headed splayed blocked doorway. To north, classical style memorial tablet, 1837. Roof has moulded curved brackets to principal rafters, carved bosses; C19 with some, C15 re-used timber. Moulded C19 pews. Lead plaque 1726 removed from roof of south aisle has triangular head with moulded border and fleur de lys ornament, inscribed 'Mr Hen Richeson' Mr Pe Cuda (sic) Ch wardens cha Wilson Plumer 1726' and inscribed 1726. Also has several hand and foot impressions inscised. Chancel arch, C14 double chamfered and rebated, with moulded octagonal imposts. Contains 5 bay timber screen, 1906. Perpendicular style, with decorative cross 1916. Chancel north arcade, C13 and C14, 2 bays. Intermediate rectangular support. Western bay C13, has half round imposts with moulded circular caps. Eastern arch C14 double chamfered and rebated with moulded octagonal imposts. South arcade, C14, 2 bays, has central octagonal pier with canted octagonal base and moulded octagonal cap, and moulded octagonal imposts. Arcade contains C19 timber screen. Decorated style, 12 bays plus doorway. East end has stained glass 1886 and C19 timber framework, Decorated style with painted commandments on canvas. Roof, partly C17 restored with chamfered tie beams and plain, strutted kingposts, close boarded. Fittings inlcude, moulded C19 benches, chip-carved C17 chair, memorial brasses 1884 and 1891, and board describing ownership of chancel. South aisle, 2 eastern bays, enclosed by C20 3 bay timber screen. Decorated style, to form chapel.In south east corner, C15 square piscina. Brass war memorial, 1918 and brass of 1920. Outside, ashlar and rubble boundary wall with stone coping, C18. To west, ramps to moulded square stone, gatepiers with matching caps, to east pair of timber posts with C19 iron wicket gate. Extends along Middle Street, Church Street and Vicar Lane, approx 125 m.