St John the Baptist's Church, Blawith
Encyclopedia
St John the Baptist's Church, Blawith, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the settlement of Blawith
, Cumbria
, England. It stands to the east of the A5084 road, south of Coniston Water
in the Lake District
. The church is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
.
architect E. G. Paley
and was built in 1862–63. It is constructed in whinstone
with a slate
roof, and was built to replace an older church, also dedicated
to Saint John the Baptist
. Its plan consists of a nave
, with a short chancel
and a bellcote. The windows are lancets
containing plate tracery. The church cost £1,600 (£ as of ), and had seating for a congregation of 171. Its architectural style is Gothic Revival
, and it contains stained glass windows in the chancel
depicting the Ascension, the Presentation in the Temple
, and the Adoration of the Magi. In 1914, Paley's successors Austin, Paley and Austin carried out a restoration, and in 1926 Austin and Paley renovated the northwest wall and buttress
es. The church was declared redundant on 1 March 1988, and was vested
in the Trust on 23 June 1993.
small dimensions, without a tower or steeple" and by 1861 was in "so ruinous a condition" that it had to be replaced. The remains consist of stone walls rising to a height of between 3 metres (10 ft) and 6 metres (20 ft), with a taller structure at the west end. The ruins have been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the settlement of Blawith
Blawith and Subberthwaite
Blawith and Subberthwaite is a civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It is situated in the Lake District National Park, and includes the villages of Blawith and Subberthwaite....
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. It stands to the east of the A5084 road, south of Coniston Water
Coniston Water
Coniston Water in Cumbria, England is the third largest lake in the English Lake District. It is five miles long, half a mile wide, has a maximum depth of 184 feet , and covers an area of . The lake has an elevation of 143 feet above sea level...
in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. The church is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
.
New church
St John's was designed by the LancasterLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
architect E. G. Paley
Edward Graham Paley
Edward Graham Paley, usually known as E. G. Paley, , was an English architect who practised in Lancaster, Lancashire, in the second half of the 19th century.-Education and career:...
and was built in 1862–63. It is constructed in whinstone
Whinstone
Whinstone is a term used in the quarrying industry to describe any hard dark-coloured rock. Examples include the igneous rocks basalt and dolerite as well as the sedimentary rock chert....
with a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof, and was built to replace an older church, also dedicated
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
to Saint John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. Its plan consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, with a short chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and a bellcote. The windows are lancets
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
containing plate tracery. The church cost £1,600 (£ as of ), and had seating for a congregation of 171. Its architectural style is Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
, and it contains stained glass windows in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
depicting the Ascension, the Presentation in the Temple
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, which falls on 2 February, celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, it is one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called Hypapante...
, and the Adoration of the Magi. In 1914, Paley's successors Austin, Paley and Austin carried out a restoration, and in 1926 Austin and Paley renovated the northwest wall and buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es. The church was declared redundant on 1 March 1988, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Trust on 23 June 1993.
Old church
The ruins of the older church remain nearby, on the other side of the road (54.2847°N 3.0949°W). This church was built in the 16th century and it was rebuilt in 1749. It was "little better than a barn, ofsmall dimensions, without a tower or steeple" and by 1861 was in "so ruinous a condition" that it had to be replaced. The remains consist of stone walls rising to a height of between 3 metres (10 ft) and 6 metres (20 ft), with a taller structure at the west end. The ruins have been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building.
See also
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England