St John's Church, Workington (original) (raw)

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Church in Cumbria, England

St John's Church
St John's Church is located in the former Allerdale BoroughSt John's ChurchSt John's ChurchLocation in Allerdale, CumbriaShow map of the former Allerdale BoroughSt John's Church is located in CumbriaSt John's ChurchSt John's ChurchLocation in Cumbria, EnglandShow map of Cumbria
54°38′30″N 3°32′39″W / 54.6417°N 3.5443°W / 54.6417; -3.5443
OS grid reference NY 004 285
Location Washington Street, Workington, Cumbria
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website St John, Workington
History
Status Parish church
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II*
Designated 6 June 1951
Architect(s) Thomas HardwickW. and C. A. Bassett-SmithNinian Comper
Architectural type Church
Style Neoclassical
Specifications
Materials Calciferous sandstoneGreen slate roof
Administration
Province York
Diocese Carlisle
Archdeaconry West Cumberland
Deanery Solway
Parish St John, Workington
Clergy
Priest(s) Very Reverend Dr Frances Ward (priest)[1]
Laity
Director of music Clare Humes
Churchwarden(s) Mr D Pearson,Mr N. Glaister

St John's Church is in Washington Street, Workington, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Solway, the archdeaconry of West Cumberland, and the diocese of Carlisle.[2] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.[3] It is a Commissioners' church, having received a grant towards its construction from the Church Building Commission.[4]

St John's was built between 1822 and 1823, and was designed by Thomas Hardwick, originally as a chapel of ease.[3] A grant of £10,488 (equivalent to £1,200,000 as of 2023)[5] was given towards its construction by the Church Building Commission.[4] The tower, originally built in wood, was rebuilt in stone in 1847 by Nelson of Carlisle. The altar was originally at the west end, and the church was re-orientated in 1897–99 by W. and C. A. Bassett-Smith, placing the altar at the east end. In 1930–31 this was reverted to its original position by Ninian Comper.[6]

The church is constructed in hammer-dressed calciferous sandstone with an ashlar plinth, pilasters and eaves. The roof is in green slate.[3] Its architectural style is Neoclassical, and the design is based on that of St Paul's, Covent Garden. The tower and portico are at the east end. The tower is square at the base, then becomes octagonal, with pairs of pilasters, and has a round cap at the top. The portico is supported by two large columns. Along the sides of the church are tall round-headed windows.[6]

The interior of the church is in five bays.[3] There is no chancel.[6] There are galleries on three sides of the church, supported on thin fluted cast iron columns. The plaster ceiling is flat, and is decorated with ribbing and coats of arms.[3] At the west end is a completely gilded Italianate baldacchino. This was designed by Comper, as were the cover of the font, the stained glass in the east window, and the organ case, which is in Ionic style.[6] The two manual organ was built in 1905 by Richard Heslop, and was rebuilt in 1961 by Rushworth and Dreaper.[7]

  1. ^ "Town centre churches get new priest".
  2. ^ St John, Workington, Church of England, retrieved 19 October 2011
  3. ^ a b c d e Historic England, "Church of St John and adjoining parish room, Workington (1138257)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 19 October 2011
  4. ^ a b Port, M. H. (2006), 600 New Churches: The Church Building Commission 1818-1856 (2nd ed.), Reading: Spire Books, p. 326, ISBN 978-1-904965-08-4
  5. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017), "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", MeasuringWorth, retrieved 7 May 2024
  6. ^ a b c d Hyde, Matthew; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2010) [1967], Cumbria, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p. 699, ISBN 978-0-300-12663-1
  7. ^ Cumberland (Cumbria), Workington, St. John, Washington Street (D00960), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 19 October 2011