The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.

This site is designated as being of national importance and is afforded additional protection. Consult West Berkshire Council's Archaeology team if more information or advice is needed.

Summary

Grade I listed Norman church, with some later additions

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1155386: CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 02142.03.000
  
• Church Heritage Record: 9599
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 66 NW 8
  
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (A): Map No 29 17/1 Church of St. John The Baptist
  Norman. Roughcast with old tile roof. Square shingled bell tower with hipped old tile roof and weather cock. Chancel has apsidal east end. The large chancel arch gives the small building a magnificence unexpected from the outside. Norman doorways on north and south. nave window perpendicular. Various C.18 wall monuments to family of Griffiths of Padworth House, and monument of iron on a plinth with supporting scroll brackets and coat of arms to Mary, wife of Loftus Brightwell, 1711, and to Loftus Brightwell of 1738, under west window.

Monument Type(s):

• PARISH CHURCH (12th century to 16th century - 1101 AD to 1539 AD)

Full Description

St John the Baptist's Church, Padworth. Dates from about 1130, with some 16th century windows. Vestry and porch added during restoration in 1890. Rendered with stone dressings. Tiled roofs. Listed Grade I.

Padworth church was built c1130 and is almost wholly Norman, except for a late Victorian porch and vestry and five Perpendicular windows..(along with Avington) one of the most impressive Norman churches in the (old) county of Berkshire. The interior is overwhelmingly grand for so simple a building <5> and contains a 17th century communion rail, paintings, and several monuments. Roughcast with lime-washed stone window tracery, moulded north and south doors.

The discovery of wall paintings was noted by W O Clinton in 1890 <7> <18>.

There is a small memorial dated 1894 in the porch to Civil War soldiers supposed to have been killed in a skirmish nearby on the 21st September 1643, after the First Battle of Newbury <7><16>. Some 'curious collections of human bones' were found in the churchyard lying near the surface and indiscriminately mixed; some of these remains were reburied under the pavement of the porch, probably in the late 19th century.

West Berkshire Museum has a photograph showing the church in the early 21st century <22>.

Sharp's compiled information about the church <8> includes a plan and several late 19th century photographs as well as a tracing of a drawing of 1819. The restoration of 1890 uncovered several features include a north door, piscina and east window. Behind a monument of 1712, which was moved to a new location, was a wall built of rough fragments including a carved broken stone suggested to be part of a Roman capital brought from Silchester. The wall was covered with the remains of a wall painting of the Crucifixion, but behind this painting was a blocked window, and it was decided to retain the window rather than the later painting which was perhaps of late 15th century date. The spoilt heads of the figures might have resulted from Reformation destruction.

Other traces of colouring were found on much of the church's stonework though the designs were indistinguishable. However one remaining painting on the east wall of the nave represented a figure of a Bishop, and was of an early style.

The stone altar table was found serving as a paving stone, having been removed during the Reformation, but an oak frame was made for it so it could be restored for use. A fragment of an oaken beam was also discovered under one of the pews during the restoration works and identified as part of the Rood screen. A Norman font was removed earlier in the 19th century though a sketch of it survived.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.