Church Heritage Record 628035

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Whitfield: St John the Evangelist

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Whitfield: St John the Evangelist
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Church
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

628035
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

Peterborough
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Northampton
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

St John the Evangelist Whitfield

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is a Grade II Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

The church is not in a Conservation Area

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Victorian/Pre-WWI

Exterior Image

Exterior image of 628035 Whitfield St John the Evangelist
Caption:

603242 

Exterior image of 628035 Whitfield St John the Evangelist
Description:

It seems to be the wrong photograph. Provided coordinates come up with another church on geograph.org.uk

Photograph of the exterior of St John the Evangelist church Whitfield taken 29 November 2015
Year / Date:

2011, April 06

2015
Copyright:

Keltek Trust

Jonathan Thacker
Originator:

Keltek Trust

Jonathan Thacker

Summary Description

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The design is typical of Woodyer's interpretation of the Early English style, provided with his variant of sharply pointed lancet windows. The tower is of three stages undistinguished externally; the lowest has diagonal buttresses, and a doorway in the west wall with a small lancet above. The chancel has three lancets unequally spaced on the south wall, the larger interval being taken up by a buttress; at the base of the wall is a simple plinth and a stringcourse forms the sill to the windows, stepping up at the east to form the higher sill of the window in the east wall.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is open for worship.
Work in progress - can you help?
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

http://www.astwellparishes.org.uk

Sources and Further Information

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Jonathan Thacker (2015) Exterior image of 628035 Whitfield St John the Evangelist [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Exterior image of 628035 Whitfield St John the Evangelist
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/16397/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church
ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~119169~117658 [Archive/Graphic material]

Ground plan

ICBS File Number - 07078

Coverage - 1870

Created by ?WOODYER, Henry: b. 1816 - d. 1896 of Surrey

Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 6 Bells [Archive/Index]
6 Bells

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: SP 607 395

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

County:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Northamptonshire County

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

Whitfield is a small hamlet in the south-west part of the county. It lies only a few hundred yards from the Buckinghamshire border to the south of the A43 between Towcester and Brackley, about two miles north of the latter.

Church Plan

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Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

West tower and spire; nave with north aisle and south porch; chancel with north organ chamber and vestry.

Dimensions

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Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

197 m2

Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

The present church is by Henry Woodyer (1816-1896); it was built in 1870.

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

The design is typical of Woodyer's interpretation of the Early English style, provided with his variant of sharply pointed lancet windows. The tower is of three stages undistinguished externally; the lowest has diagonal buttresses, and a doorway in the west wall with a small lancet above. The ringing chamber is lit solely by a small rectangular light in the north wall and the belfry, which is slightly set back, has paired bell-openings each with a quatrefoil in plate tracery above the main lights. The spire is quite plain and solidly proportioned with one series of lucarnes in the cardinal faces; it is crowned with a gilded weathercock. Access to the ringing chamber is by a small staircase turret in the angle of the south tower wall with the west wall of the nave.

The first bay of the south nave wall is taken up by the porch, which stands at the head of the path leading from the churchyard gate. The outer arch is chamfered, the chanfers continuing to the ground. The inner arch, which takes the form of big cusping within the other, is carried on shafts attached to the points of the responds. Three lancets within deep reveals pierce the side walls, and the inner doorway has two orders of roll-mouldings and an oak door provided with clegant scroll decoration to the hinges. The remaining bays of the south nave wall have windows each with identical Y tracery with a roundel in the spandrel, and at the south east corner is a substantial buttress.

The chancel has three lancets unequally spaced on the south wall, the larger interval being taken up by a buttress; at the base of the wall is a simple plinth and a stringcourse forms the sill to the windows, stepping up at the east to form the higher sill of the window in the east wall. This consists of three stepped lancets of exceedingly sharply pointed character, each separated from the other by thin buttresses on plate tracery rather than by shafts. 

The north wall is almost entirely obscured by the tiny vestry under a pent roof and the taller cross-gabled organ chamber to the west; the former has a smal lancet in the cast wall and a doorway in the north, the latter with two lancets and the sacred monogram IHS executed in Gothic lettering carved in relief in the point of the gable. The north aisle is under one sweep of roof with the nave, there being no clerestory and the only distinction between the two being a slight change of pitch. The aisle wall is pierced by single lancets under a continuous blank arcade (another favourite idion of Woodyer's) and several rainwater heads are dated 1869.

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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Who:
John C Barker
Role:
Architect / Surveyor ICM55
From:
To:
Contribution:

Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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Collapse Building Fabric and FeaturesBuilding Fabric and Features
STAINED GLASS (1898)
STAINED GLASS (1889)
STAINED GLASS (1898)
STAINED GLASS (c.1898)
STAINED GLASS (1877)
STAINED GLASS (1908)
STAINED GLASS
STAINED GLASS (1904)
STAINED GLASS (1894)
STAINED GLASS (1905)
STAINED GLASS (1914)
STAINED GLASS (1904)
STAINED GLASS

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

Work in progress - can you help?

Interior Image

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Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The hard grey stone used to face the exterior is also used for detailing within the building, complementing the pale buff of the plastered walls. The west tower arch has three chamferedorders dying into the responds at each side, and is quite small and narrow in scale, the whole building indeed not being large. The three south windows stand within plain reveals with chanfered rore-arches and the north arcade, of four bays, has octagonal piers without capitals. Instead the sides towards the arches swell out at this point so that the mouldings continue up and round the arches without a break, a most odd feature. They are completed by an outer moulding supported on pointed corbels in place of capitals. The aisle itself is lit by small single lancets to each bay.

The chancel arch, crossed by a timber screen, is plain with keeled mouldings an and an inner order on corbels carved as the heads of a king and a bishop. On the south wall are four niches with trefoiled heads, the form of the trefoil continuing back to the outer wall with unusual effect. Three of the niches are trefoil-headed lancet windows and the fourth (the second from the east) forms a sedilia, of exaggerated proportions since although the arch is in line with the others, the seat is of course much lower than the sills of the windows; this corresponds with the buttress on the outer face of the wall. The eastern window has a piscina set in the sill. On the north side is an arch opening to the organ chamber, fillod with a row of organ pipes, and the three lancets which form the east window are set within an arcade on shafts of polished marble, the arches of typical sharply pointed trefoiled pattern.

Almost all of the stained glass is by Morris and Co.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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Collapse Internal Fixtures and FittingsInternal Fixtures and Fittings
ALTAR
BELL (1 of 6)
BELL (2 of 6)
BELL (3 of 6)
BELL (4 of 6)
BELL (5 of 6)
BELL (6 of 6)
LECTERN (1870)
ORGAN (OBJECT) (1877)
PULPIT
RAIL
SCREEN

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

Work in progress - can you help?

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: SP 607 395

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

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Ecological Designations

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The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Church.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Church.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Church.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

The church has no evidence of bats

Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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The churchyard does not have war graves.

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Church.

Designation TypeNameGrade  
Listed Building Chest Tomb Approximately 6 Metres South Of South East Corner Of Chancel Of Church Of St John The Evangelist II View more
Listed Building Chest Tomb Approximately 4 Metres South Of South Aisle Of Church Of St John The Evangelist II View more
Listed Building Pair Of Headstones Approximately 4 Metres South Of Chancel Of Church Of St John The Evangelist II View more

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

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Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Church

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
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Fabric Significance Level:
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Fabric Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Interior Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Interior Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
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Community Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
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Church Renewables

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Open the map of church renewable installations
Solar PV Panels:

This information forms part of the Shrinking the Footprint project.

No
Solar Thermal Panels:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Bio Mass:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Air Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Ground Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Wind Turbine:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
EV Car Charging:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Unknown

Species Summary

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All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

CategoryTotal species recorded to date
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED 0
Total number of animal species 0
Total number of plant species 0
Total number of mammal species 0
Total number of birds 0
Total number of amphibian and reptile species 0
Total number of invertebrate species 0
Total number of fungi species 0
Total number of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) 0
Total number of ferns 0
Total number of flowering plants 0
Total number of Gymnosperm and Ginkgo 0

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

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If any of the following species have been seen close to the Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

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WhoActionWhen
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionWed 08 Feb 2023 09:26:54
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionWed 08 Feb 2023 09:26:02
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:25:31
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:25:15
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:24:49
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:24:32
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:24:12
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:23:53
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:23:36
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeWed 08 Feb 2023 09:23:06
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