St John's Blackheath

St John's Blackheath (formally known as St John the Evangelist's Church) is an all age Anglican church in the Vanbrugh Park area of Blackheath, part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich in southeast London, England. Built in the 1850s to the design of architect Arthur Ashpitel, it provided "an important visual and spiritual focus" to a rapidly growing high-class residential area.[1] The church has an Evangelical character. There are four services on a Sunday. St John's Blackheath has thriving children's groups and youth groups.[2] Their vision is to be A church for all ages, committed to growing in outreach, discipleship and the next generation.

St John's Blackheath
St John the Evangelist's Church
The church from the east
51.4758°N 0.0187°E / 51.4758; 0.0187
LocationStratheden Road, Blackheath, London SE3 7TH
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationAnglican
ChurchmanshipEvangelical
Websitewww.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk
History
StatusParish church
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated8 June 1973
Architect(s)Arthur Ashpitel
StylePerpendicular Gothic Revival
Completed1853
Administration
ParishBlackheath, St John the Evangelist
DeaneryCharlton
ArchdeaconryLewisham and Greenwich
DioceseSouthwark
Clergy
Vicar(s)Eddie Scrase-Field
Curate(s)Chris Hanning
Laity
Youth ministry coordinatorMatt Lockwood
Hannah Mugenyi
Parish administratorWendy Goldthorpe

History

The residential area now known as Vanbrugh Park, east of Greenwich Park and north of the present A2 road, was laid out in the early part of the Victorian era.[1][3] Architect Arthur Ashpitel from Hackney was commissioned to design a new church for this district, which at the time (prior to the Local Government Act 1888) was in the county of Kent.[4] It was his only new church in Kent, although he restored the medieval building at Ripple.[5] Work began in 1852 and the church was completed in 1853.[1]

Some stained glass windows in the north aisle were destroyed during World War II and were subsequently replaced. The interior was altered in 1999; some of the space at the west end was taken up by new facilities such as offices and a kitchen.[1]

The church was listed at Grade II on 8 June 1973.[1] English Heritage defines Grade II-listed buildings as "nationally important" and of "special interest".[6] The war memorial outside the church, designed by J.B.L. Tolhurst and unveiled on 11 November 1922, was separately listed at Grade II on 19 May 2016.[7]

Architecture

St John the Evangelist's Church is "a local landmark" and "a focal point" in a prominent position: it stands on an island surrounded by roads and housing, and is clearly visible in the streetscape especially from the west.[1][8] It is built of Kentish Ragstone, a local material, and has a roof of Welsh slate.[1][3] The plan consists of a nave with aisles on both sides, an aisled chancel with a lower roofline and flanked by a vestry and an organ chamber, porches on two sides, and a tower and the west end.[1] This is topped with a "good" tall spire whose lowest stage is concealed by a parapet.[1][3] The tower is buttressed at each corner and has windows with decorative tracery, clock faces, a pinnacled upper stage and a stair turret in one corner.[1] The architectural style is largely Perpendicular Gothic Revival,[9] which was out of fashion by the 1850s, although there are some Decorated Gothic Revival elements.[1][3] The architect Arthur Ashpitel, who worked extensively in Kent, was associated with Anglican evangelicalism; this may have led him to use the Perpendicular style, which was popular with that movement.[10]

Inside, the fittings date mostly from the late 19th century and include a rood screen and reredos by H.S. Rogers.[1] The west-end gallery installed by D. Drury in 1898[9] was removed during the 1999 reordering.[1] The firm of Heaton, Butler and Bayne designed many of the stained glass windows.[3]

Services and administration

There are four Sunday services, including a morning Eucharistic service using the Book of Common Prayer. [11]

The Church Pastoral Aid Society holds the patronage of St John the Evangelist's Church. The population of the parish was estimated at 4,962 in 2001. It is within the Deanery of Charlton and the Archdeaconry of Lewisham in the Anglican Diocese of Southwark.[8]

See also

References
  1. Historic England. "Church of St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, London SE3  (Grade II) (1289727)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  2. http://www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk/activities/
  3. Cherry & Pevsner 2002, p. 246.
  4. Homan 1984, p. 31.
  5. Homan 1984, p. 105.
  6. "Listed Buildings". English Heritage. 2012. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. Historic England. "War memorial outside the Church of St John the Evangelist, Blackheath, Stratheden Road, London SE3  (Grade II) (1435117)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  8. "Charlton Deanery: Blackheath, St John the Evangelist". Diocese of Southwark. 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  9. Homan 1984, p. 37.
  10. Allen, John (21 May 2008). "Architects and Artists A". Sussex Parish Churches website. Sussex Parish Churches (www.sussexparishchurches.org). Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  11. Sunday Services, St John's Blackheath.

Bibliography
  • Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2002) [1983]. London 2: South. The Buildings of England (2nd ed.). London: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-09651-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Homan, Roger (1984). The Victorian Churches of Kent. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0-85033-466-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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