St John the Baptist's Church, Hartford

St John the Baptist's Church, Hartford is in the village of Hartford, Cheshire, England (gbmapping|SJ638722). The church is a Grade II listed buildingcite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=402983 |title=Images of England: Church of St John, Hartford |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=English Heritage ] and is the parish church of of Hartford and Greenbank.cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/ |title= St John's Church, Hartford |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher= St John's Church, Hartford ] It is in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Middlewich. [cite web |url= http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/diocesesparishes/infosheets/parish_results.html?parishid=C02920 |title= Information Sheet |accessdate=2008-08-13 |publisher= Church of England ]

History

The first church on the site was consecrated in 1824. Following this the population grew and the church became too small. In 1873 it was decided that a new and larger church was needed. The new church was designed by John Douglas. The foundation stone was laid on October 29 1873. The new church was consecrated by William Jacobson, Bishop of Chester, on 24 June 1875. At this time, the church consisted of the chancel and nave with its porches and the foundations of the tower. The tower, also designed by John Douglas, was then added and this was dedicated by William Stubbs, Bishop of Chester, on 14 April 1887. On 20 June 1897 a ring of six bells was dedicated. The total cost of the church was £12,508. In the 1920s a choir vestry was added to the east wall. In 1990 the church pipe organ was replaced by an electronic organ. In 1993 the roof was refurbished and during the following year the pews were replaced by chairs. [cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/history_origins.shtml |title=St John's Hartford - origins |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=St John's Church, Hartford ] In 1997–98 an extension was added to the west end of the church to provide extra seating, toilets and a kitchen. [cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/history_centre.shtml |title=St John's Hartford - the Church Centre |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=St John's Church, Hartford ]

tructure

The church is built in buff sandstone with red sandstone dressings and a red tile roof. Its plan consists of a five-bay nave with clerestory, north and south aisles, a two-bay chancel with a vestry to the south and a chapel to the north, north and south porches and a west tower. The tower is in four stages with a stair turret at the southwest corner which rises higher than the tower. The parapet is embattled. The tower is around convert|70|ft|m|0 high. Internally the plaster and wooden reredos depicts the Last Supper in a Gothic gilded setting. Pevsner describes the interior as being "altogether interesting", commenting particularly that the two sides of the chancel are different. [cite book | last =Pevsner | first =Nikolaus | authorlink =Nikolaus Pevsner | coauthors =Edward Hubbard | title =The Buildings of England: Cheshire |edition= | publisher =Yale University Press| date =2003| origyear=1971| location =New Haven| pages =234| url = | doi = | id = | isbn =0 300 09588 0 ] The main entrance to the church is now though the new west extension to the church.cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/history_tour.shtml |title=St John's Hartford - a guided tour |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=St John's Church, Hartford ]

Today

The church continues to be an active parish church in the Evangelical tradition and regular services are held. [cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/times.shtml |title=Service Times |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=St John's Church, Hartford ] There is a variety of church groups [cite web |url=http://www.stjohnshartford.org/groups.shtml |title=Church Groups at St John's |accessdate=2008-03-10|publisher= St John's Church, Hartford] .

Notes