About Us
St. John’s Northington is a Grade II * listed building and an extremely fine example of late Victorian Church architecture. Building work began in 1888 and St. John's was consecrated on15th October 1890. It is largely the work of one man - the Architect Sir Thomas Graham Jackson. He was responsible for the design of the exterior and the interior, including the fixtures and fittings. The building remains largely unaltered both inside and out. The result is an integrated whole, including remarkable features making it a Church of extraordinary worth and beauty, much loved by worshippers, the community and visitors. There are wood and stone carvings of the highest quality on the pew ends, choir stalls, the organ and the stone pulpit and its canopy. A magnificent Reredos depicting The Last Supper is at the head of the Church behind the altar. There is also a large working, counterbalanced candelabra – the centre-piece in the Choir – as well as 3 smaller candelabras in the Nave and wall brackets/candles in the North Aisle; all are used on special occasions. Of further note is the innovative use of concrete in the crypt and tower and in making precast blocks faced with flints to form part of the outer surface of the main walls. The Charles Martin organ was built in the 1890s and installed with the Church. There are 7 Bells, 3 of which are from the original church and are dated 1602, 1611, and 1700, (the latter two recast 1890). Currently, there are 6 full circle ringing bells and the 1602 bell is installed as a fixed Service bell. The bells, Memorials to the Henley and Baring Families and the weather vane were all moved from the previous Church, which stood on the area to the left of the Memorial Cross, in what is now the car park. There is a listing of all those buried around the old church in the current St John's in a folder at the entrance.
The church is normally unlocked from mid morning to mid afternoon each day, except in poor weather, by volunteers. Guide books are available at the entrance.