St John the Baptist, Holywell
Our Other Churches
- About Us
- Find Us
- Contact Us
- Services and Events
- Features and Facilities
- More Info
St John the Baptist is the parish church of the villages of Needingworth and Holywell; there has been a church on this site since 990 AD. The present church dates from the 13th century (the tower was added in the 16th century, reputedly acquired from Ramsey Abbey). In the churchyard stands the Holy Well, the spring which gives the surrounding village its name, venerated for its healing properties since pre-Christian times. Every year on the weekend before 24th June (Feast of St John the Baptist) the centrepiece of our Patronal Festival is the Well-dressing, one of the very few examples of this art form to be found south of Derbyshire.
In the last three years we have completed major restoration projects on the church roof and heating system,ensuring that our Grade I listed mediaeval building will be around for worshippers for a long time to come. We still need to install modern facilities and we have an active programme of local fund-raising.
Our Rector is Revd Sheila Anthony. With her encouragement we have launched new children's worship initiatives and are increasingly working with our sister churches at Colne and Bluntisham in fulfilling God's plan for this part of the world.
Ours is a very friendly church and the regular congregation is increased in the summer by visitors to this picturesque village, many of them arriving by boat along the nearby river Great Ouse. We can assure you of a very warm and friendly reception at our services.
You are seeing this message instead because your browser has not loaded the program code to produce the map.
This could be for a variety of reasons, including:
- Your browser does not support Javascript;
- You have turned Javascript off
Stephen York
Hawthorn Cottage
Back Lane
Holywell
St Ives
PE27 4TQ
Tel: (01480) 494056
- Regular Services
Sunday
A said Holy Communion using the 1662 Prayer Book.
Every first Sunday at 8:00 AM for 1 hour
Every second third and fourth Sunday at 9:30 AM for 1 hour
A service for all ages, with hymns and worship songs accompanied by our all-ages church orchestra, and a talk or activities.
Every first Sunday at 10:00 AM for ¾ hour
The parishes of Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Colne and Bluntisham-cum-Earith have recently been united in one benefice and four times a year we get together at one of those churches to celebrate Communion together, followed by a bring-and-share meal.
In every five-Sunday month. every fifth Sunday at 11:00 AM for 1 hour
A new teatime service for all the family, held in Needingworth Village Hall. Films, worship songs, plays, discussions and children's activities, with tea afterwards.
Every second and fourth Sunday at 4:30 PM for ¾ hour
A traditional Evensong with hymns and sung Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (organ, no choir). Held intermittently at the moment (2010) - please check with churchwarden
Every third Sunday at 6:30 PM for 1 hour
Monday
A friendly, informal service using Common Worship Evening Prayer.
Not held on Mondays which are public holidays. every Monday at 7:00 PM for ½ hour
Lively and popular youth group for 11-16s, held at Needingworth Village Hall. Table tennis, pool table, a playstation and bar football, and a tuck shop are just some of the facilities on offer.
Term time only. every second and fourth Monday at 7:00 PM for 1 hour
Wednesday
Small, friendly house group discussing questions of faith. Currently using Nick Fawcett's 'Grappling with God'. Newcomers will find a warm welcome. Meets at 1 Holywell House, Holywell (opposite the church)
Every second and fourth Wednesday at 7:30 PM for 2 hours
Thursday
Fun activities, games and a short quiet moment with a talk, for children in school years 5 and 6. Check out the parish newsletter The Herald for this month's theme. Held in Holywell School Hall.
Term time only. every first Thursday at 7:00 PM for 1½ hours
