Coventry - St John the Baptist
St John's is the landmark that marks the entrance to Spon Street, that rare enclave of medieval architecture in Coventry's mostly post-war city centre, with several fine timber-framed buildings nearby, including Bond's Hospital and Bablake School just behind the church, but the developements immediately south and east of the building offer a marked contrast and are a decidedly less sympathetic setting. Being on the fringe of city's heart it generally gets less attention from visitors as the more central Holy Trinity and of course the Cathedral, thus one feels that in any other setting it would be far more celebrated for the fine piece of medieval architecture it is, in fact renowned Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott, who restored the church in 1877, considered it 'one of the most beautiful churches in England'.
The church also luckily escaped major damage in the November 1940 Blitz that destroyed so much else in the city, beyond the loss of much (but not all) of it's Victorian stained glass. Though the wonderful old St Michael's Cathedral was lost that night, happily the city's two other major medieval churches, Holy Trinity and St John's, survived more or less intact.
The church also luckily escaped major damage in the November 1940 Blitz that destroyed so much else in the city, beyond the loss of much (but not all) of it's Victorian stained glass. Though the wonderful old St Michael's Cathedral was lost that night, happily the city's two other major medieval churches, Holy Trinity and St John's, survived more or less intact.
The church was founded in 1342 by Queen Isabella, mother of Edward III, and was collegiate, along with being the church of the Guild of St John the Baptist. Building continued throughout the remainder of the century, but most of what we see today is 15th century work, though evidently of different phases, for example the earlier south aisle windows do not line up with the structure above them, particularly at the south transept, suggesting that a more simple building without transepts was originally envisaged, and the current cruciform shape was a later expansion of the project.
Remarkably the church sits on a relatively small site, but what it lacks in length and width it gains in height, and with it's tapering and unusually narrow clerestorey windows and central tower reaching for the sky it gives the impression of a cathedral in miniature. The central tower has oddly corbelled-out turrets at it's corners, an over-exaggeration of the original design by Scott. Their effect is accentuated by the more recent removal of the battlements, leaving the curiously plain parapet inbetween (the whole church was given this treatment, no doubt for ease of maintenance). However the unusual design of the tower windows below and those of the clerestory, tall and narrow paired lights with flattened arches giving them a more contemporary look, are more authentic, along with the near triangular shape of the south chapel windows; Scott's main intervention on the exterior was the renewal of much of the stonework, since warm red sandstone is one of the least resistant to weathering.
Remarkably the church sits on a relatively small site, but what it lacks in length and width it gains in height, and with it's tapering and unusually narrow clerestorey windows and central tower reaching for the sky it gives the impression of a cathedral in miniature. The central tower has oddly corbelled-out turrets at it's corners, an over-exaggeration of the original design by Scott. Their effect is accentuated by the more recent removal of the battlements, leaving the curiously plain parapet inbetween (the whole church was given this treatment, no doubt for ease of maintenance). However the unusual design of the tower windows below and those of the clerestory, tall and narrow paired lights with flattened arches giving them a more contemporary look, are more authentic, along with the near triangular shape of the south chapel windows; Scott's main intervention on the exterior was the renewal of much of the stonework, since warm red sandstone is one of the least resistant to weathering.
The interior is surprisingly light for a sandstone church, which is the result of the large Perpendicular windows, and particularly the extensive clerestorey that creates a 'glass cage' effect in the higher parts of the church, and is of uniform design throught chancel, transepts and south side of the nave (the north side has a simpler design of three light windows instead, either elements reused from an earlier phase or a more budget design on the less visible elevation). It is also rather narrow, which accentuates the proportions and sense of height further, a good example of architectural limitations and constraints turned to an advantage.
There are some good medieval carvings surviving higher up in some of the corbels around the crossing, but otherwise aside from the fine Perpendicular architecture itself the impression is largely of early 20th century High Church Anglican worship, as most of the furnishings appear to date from this time, though they are nonetheless attractive and sympathetic to the building.
The lack of any relics of the Middle Ages in wood or glass or monuments of later periods is explained by the history of the church, since it actually ceased to be used for worship in the 1590s and for several centuries suffered various indignities of secular use, such as prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston during the Civil War in 1648 (these rebels, loyal to the King, were shunned in the Parliamentarian held city, thus the phrase being 'Sent to Coventry' was born!). Other uses included as a stables, a market and a winding and dying house for cloth, before being eventually restored to church use in the 19th century. We should at least be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
There are some good medieval carvings surviving higher up in some of the corbels around the crossing, but otherwise aside from the fine Perpendicular architecture itself the impression is largely of early 20th century High Church Anglican worship, as most of the furnishings appear to date from this time, though they are nonetheless attractive and sympathetic to the building.
The lack of any relics of the Middle Ages in wood or glass or monuments of later periods is explained by the history of the church, since it actually ceased to be used for worship in the 1590s and for several centuries suffered various indignities of secular use, such as prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston during the Civil War in 1648 (these rebels, loyal to the King, were shunned in the Parliamentarian held city, thus the phrase being 'Sent to Coventry' was born!). Other uses included as a stables, a market and a winding and dying house for cloth, before being eventually restored to church use in the 19th century. We should at least be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
Of the fittings that have accumulated since the building returned to church use the most dominant are the stained glass windows, which form an eclectic collection, mixing styles ranging from late Victorian to 1960s post-war figurative by several notanle artists and studios. As stated before many windows succumbed to the Coventry Blitz in 1940, particularly the main east and west windows, but several others survived surprisingly unscathed.
The earliest Victorian glass is in the lower south transept window and is perhaps the most memorable window here for the way it evokes history by it's condition rather than subject, for here is a patchwork of colourful fragments of figures and canopies arranged in a manner one is more accustomed to seeing used for medieval fragments, and starkly spread in a jagged formation across the middle of three otherwise clear-glazed lights. They are of course collected pieces from windows shattered by the wartime bombing of the city and as such are a vivid testimony to the Blitz, a feature I particularly remembered on my first childhood visit here years ago. Most of this glass (possibly by A.Gibbs) originates from other windows in the church as the traceries above retain their prewar glass, evidently by Burlison & Grylls, and only one of the heads amongst the fragments appears to relate to this. Probably also from this window, but currently in storage, are three panels of decorative patchworks, apparently also by Burlison & Grylls but incorporating a substantial amount of medieval glass, likely to be the only remains of the church's ancient glazing. The parish hopes to have these panels put back on display at some point in the future.
The oldest complete window is nearby in the south aisle, the work of C.E.Kempe and typical of his studio, showing St John the Baptist announcing Christ's presence. In the south chapel is another window containing elements of the prewar stained glass, this time tiny pieces set like mosaics in just the borders and two small medallions. Adjacent is a 1918 War Memorial window by Burlison & Grylls, with a list of the dead beneath the four national saints. By the same studio are the two windows in the north aisle, with figures and heraldry set against a clear background.
The oldest complete window is nearby in the south aisle, the work of C.E.Kempe and typical of his studio, showing St John the Baptist announcing Christ's presence. In the south chapel is another window containing elements of the prewar stained glass, this time tiny pieces set like mosaics in just the borders and two small medallions. Adjacent is a 1918 War Memorial window by Burlison & Grylls, with a list of the dead beneath the four national saints. By the same studio are the two windows in the north aisle, with figures and heraldry set against a clear background.
It is however the post-war glass here that draws the eye most, with it's bolder colouring and more formally stylised figures. All are still very much in the traditional, figurative tradition of the 1950s, narrowly predating the more ground-breaking developements at the nearby Cathedral and providing an interesting contrast to the windows there, almost contemporary but utterly different in concept.
The east window commands the most attention with it's vibrant hues and is the one of the last works of Margaret Aldrich Rope, the junior member of a celebrated pair of artists who were cousins, both called Margaret Rope. Like many of her later works, this window betrays her move away from the Arts & Crafts into a more modern style, and is more expressionist in it's treatment, boldy linear with freely applied washes of paint. It represents the Annunciation above (flanked by SS John & Luke) balanced by the Expulsion of Adam & Eve below (flanked by Isaiah & St John the Baptist).
The west window, the largest in the church, is by contrast mostly decorative glazing in slab glass with coloured borders in blues and yellows except for some shields and angels towards the top and a rich display in the tracery. This is the work of Goddard & Gibbs of London and is a hugely successful balance of simplicity and richness (by the same studio the earlier St John the Baptist window in the south chapel). Finally there are two more rich windows of the 1950s on the north side; the Nativity window by George Cooper Abbs in the north chapel has some beautiful details (though Mary's face looks a little masculine!) whilst the adjoining red-robed Christ on a foliated cross surrounded by medallion scenes is the work of Harry Clarke Studios of Dublin c1961 (some 20 years after the death of Clarke himself).
The east window commands the most attention with it's vibrant hues and is the one of the last works of Margaret Aldrich Rope, the junior member of a celebrated pair of artists who were cousins, both called Margaret Rope. Like many of her later works, this window betrays her move away from the Arts & Crafts into a more modern style, and is more expressionist in it's treatment, boldy linear with freely applied washes of paint. It represents the Annunciation above (flanked by SS John & Luke) balanced by the Expulsion of Adam & Eve below (flanked by Isaiah & St John the Baptist).
The west window, the largest in the church, is by contrast mostly decorative glazing in slab glass with coloured borders in blues and yellows except for some shields and angels towards the top and a rich display in the tracery. This is the work of Goddard & Gibbs of London and is a hugely successful balance of simplicity and richness (by the same studio the earlier St John the Baptist window in the south chapel). Finally there are two more rich windows of the 1950s on the north side; the Nativity window by George Cooper Abbs in the north chapel has some beautiful details (though Mary's face looks a little masculine!) whilst the adjoining red-robed Christ on a foliated cross surrounded by medallion scenes is the work of Harry Clarke Studios of Dublin c1961 (some 20 years after the death of Clarke himself).
As stated before the furnishings are entirely of the late 19th / early 20th centuries and are very much influenced by the Oxford Movement, with a fine carved rood screen in late medieval style (a good attempt at capturing the spirit of what must have been here originally) and several devotional statues, including a beautiful Madonna & Child, said to be a copy of one in Buenos Aires, under a gilt canopy in the north aisle.
There is further carving and gilding in the three reredoses in the chancel, that behind the main altar being a colourful late Victorian piece with an unusual central figure of Christ in Gethsemane flanked by panels of Apostles and angels. The north chapel has three painted panels copied from works by Rapheal, whilst the south chapel has a fine and very characteristic reredos by Sir Ninian Comper with a central Crucifixion group. All these fittings enliven the space and recapture some of the long lost devotional atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
There is further carving and gilding in the three reredoses in the chancel, that behind the main altar being a colourful late Victorian piece with an unusual central figure of Christ in Gethsemane flanked by panels of Apostles and angels. The north chapel has three painted panels copied from works by Rapheal, whilst the south chapel has a fine and very characteristic reredos by Sir Ninian Comper with a central Crucifixion group. All these fittings enliven the space and recapture some of the long lost devotional atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
St John's is a superb building of real charm and architectural distinction, and whilst little of antiquity has survived amongst it's fittings and furnishings the good 20th century work provides some quite adequate compensation. I agree with Gilbert Scott, it is a church I am very fond of.
The church currently has very limited open hours on saturday mornings only; it was once more readily accessible but it's location in the heart of a deprived city centre has caused some major security problems, and there have been several mindless attacks on the windows (over the years I have been personally involved in the repair of eight of the windows here after several such incidents).
It is a sad sign of the times that a church is under such constant threat and requires the vigilance of stewards when it opens.
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012
The church currently has very limited open hours on saturday mornings only; it was once more readily accessible but it's location in the heart of a deprived city centre has caused some major security problems, and there have been several mindless attacks on the windows (over the years I have been personally involved in the repair of eight of the windows here after several such incidents).
It is a sad sign of the times that a church is under such constant threat and requires the vigilance of stewards when it opens.
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012