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| HER Number: | 523 |
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| Name: | Church of St John, St John's Square, Wolverhampton |
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Summary
Church of 1758-76 built in Roman Renaissance style.
Monument Type(s):
- CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
| Local Authority: | Wolverhampton |
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| Grid Reference: | SO 9142 9815 |
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| Map: | Show location on Streetmap |
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| Designation: | Listed Building (II*) 1201864: CHURCH OF ST JOHN |
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Description
1758-76. Roman Renaissance style. Architect: Will Baker, or builder Roger Eykyn. Ashlar. Rusticated portico. Good W tower with octagonal bell stage, & spire. Balustrades. Venetian window at E end. Int: Organ by Renatus Harris, from Temple Church in London, c1682. 3 galleries. Restoration work in progress at time of surv (1976). (1) Spire not part of orig structure, but added after overwhelming response to an appeal for funds after church damaged by fire. The church was consecrated in 1760. 1762 church came to own 'Renatus Harris' organ which orig in Dublin cathedral. A copy of Ruben's `Descent from Heaven' forms part of altar. In 1854 major restoration, finished 1869. Since 1935 restoration of varying degrees has taken place, including work on spire. (2) Other refs (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in 1999 during drainage works but little of archaeological interest was uncovered. (8)
Amendment to listing information: picture is not a 'Descent from Heaven' but 'The Descent from the Cross'. The most famous of these is that of Peter Paul Rubens which is in Antwerp cathedral. The Wolverhampton version is not a copy although it is of the same subject. (9)
Description in The Buildings of England: Birmingham and the Black Country, Foster et al 2022 (p677) (13)
FULL LIST ENTRY: Anglican church. 1758-76. By William Baker or Roger Eykyn (builder). Ashlar with parapeted roof. Classical style. Rectangular plan with shallow chancel and west steeple. Ground floor sill band and top modillioned cornice and balustraded parapet; windows with Gibbs surrounds, those to ground floor segmental headed, those to 1st floor round headed. East façade has pedimented chancel with blind simplified Venetian window with architrave and triple keystone, 2 blind roundels over; single-bay returns have Gibbs windows, nave east has blind round-headed windows over round-headed entrances with consoled cornices, sill band forming imposts. 6-bay north and south facades with Gibbs windows; western bays have round-headed entrances with rusticated pilasters and cornices, that to south with crowned monogram: E II R. West façade has centre breaking forward under pediment, Gibbs windows to flanking bays. Round-headed entrance with radiating voussoirs, aedicule with rusticated Doric columns, Ionic entablature and blocking course, 3-fielded-panel door and fanlight with glazing bars; panel above. Tower has modillioned sill course, paired Ionic pilasters and entablature; round-headed Gibbs windows, urns to angles. Spire has round base with cornice taken over projecting clock faces, octagonal stage with pilasters, blind round-headed windows and top balustrade, rest with bands, round lucarnes and weather vane. INTERIOR: tunnel-vaulted ceiling pierced by arches; gallery to 3 sides on panelled antae on high bases, panelled front and 4-bay Doric arcades; elliptical chancel arch, vaulted chancel, which has bolection-moulded panelling and aedicule over altarpiece, panelled pilasters above. Fittings: late C19 timber screens to chapels to east ends of aisles; mid C19 altar rail on enriched wrought-iron supports; mid C19 high panelled pulpit on marble shafts; mid C19 basin font on marble shafts with coloured inlay; George III Royal arms to west gallery, gilded relief; C17 organ by Renatus Harris with rich open work to case. Mid to late C19 stained glass; and some early C20 Arts and Crafts glass. A very good and complete example of a mid C18 church. (Shell County Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire: London: 1978-: P.186; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: P.316). (10)
The organ dates from 1684 by Renatus Harris (11). The bell dates from 1706 by Joseph Smith, Edgbaston (12)
Sources and Further Reading
| [1] | SBL5691 - DoE Statutory List: DoE. 1977. |
| [2] | SBL3043 - Bibliographic reference: Lister G. 1986. St John's Church. Wolv Her Proj. |
| [3] | SBL1194 - Bibliographic reference: Mander G P and Tildesley Norman W. 1960. A History of Wolverhampton to the early 19th century. |
| [4] | SBL3044 - Bibliographic reference: Roper J. Wolverhampton As it Was. |
| [5] | SBL3045 - DoE Statutory List: DoE. 1992. 895-1.13.312. |
| [6] | SBL5243 - Bibliographic reference: Pevsner Nikolaus. 1974. Buildings of England: Staffordshire. 316. |
| [7] | SBL5454 - Bibliographic reference: Jeavons S. 1960. Staffs Church Interiors. TSSAHS. 2; 7. |
| [8] | SBL7264 - Bibliographic reference: Meeson Bob. 1999. Wolverhampton St John: Archaeological Watching Brief August 1999. |
| [9] | SBL7435 - Comment: 2011. pers comm P. Hickman. |
| [10] | SBL7514 - Website: English Heritage/Historic England. National Heritage List for England (NHLE). https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1201864 (accessed 30/08/16). |
| [11] | SBL7724 - Article on website: Wikipedia. St John's Church, Wolverhampton. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John%27s_Church,_Wolverhampton (accessed 30/08/16). |
| [12] | SBL7723 - Website: Dawson, George - http://georgedawson.homestead.com/index.html. 2013. A National Bell Register. |
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