Unlike the rest of St. John the Baptist’s medieval church, the south aisle is entirely Victorian. Built during Henry Ward’s rebuilding of the 1840s, it was carefully designed to harmonise with the Romanesque character of the older church. This article explores how Norman-inspired architecture, the remarkable south doorway and later additions combined to create one of the most successful parts of the rebuilding.
Tag: Religion
A Closer Examination of the North Aisle
The north aisle preserves the strongest impression of St. John the Baptist’s Norman origins. Although rebuilt by Henry Ward in the 1840s, its heavy round arches, massive pillars and Romanesque character echo the medieval church described by Stebbing Shaw. This article explores the aisle’s architectural development and its later transformation into a place of remembrance, where the history of the church and the parish meet.
A closer look at the chancel
The chancel of St. John the Baptist reveals a different chapter in the church’s history. Contrasting with the heavy Romanesque nave, it preserves the character of a later medieval Gothic rebuilding that was carefully reinterpreted during the Victorian restoration. Drawing on architectural evidence, early drawings and contemporary descriptions, this article explores how centuries of rebuilding, patronage and worship shaped the church’s most sacred space.
A Closer Examination of the Nave
The nave forms the architectural heart of St. John the Baptist Church. Although rebuilt in the 1840s, its massive pillars, round arches and chevron carving preserve the powerful impression of the Norman church described by Stebbing Shaw half a century earlier. This article explores how Henry Ward recreated the Romanesque character of the medieval building while producing the unified interior that visitors experience today.
St. John the Baptist Church
As St. John the Baptist church was largely rebuilt in the 1840s, and little documentary evidence survives from before that time, it is necessary to turn to alternative sources to reconstruct the form and chronology of the earlier building. Stebbing Shaw, writing in the 1790s, provides a detailed and informative description of the church, including… Continue reading St. John the Baptist Church
A Window of Faith and Craft: The Lost Stained Glass Commissioned by Josiah Spode IV
A lost chapter of Armitage-with-Handsacre’s heritage survives only in a 1988 video: two stained-glass windows commissioned by Josiah Spode IV for his private octagonal chapel. The Marian and narrative windows formed a rich devotional scheme, now vanished, yet still revealing Spode’s faith, craftsmanship, and late-Victorian Catholic identity.
One Hundred Years Ago in the Parish: June 1925
Step back to June 1925 and discover everyday life in Armitage and Handsacre a century ago. From smoky bottle kilns, crystal wireless sets and cricket matches to church events, dances, road accidents and the founding of the local Buffs Lodge, this article recreates a single month in the life of the parish. Together these contemporary stories reveal a community on the brink of modern change while still firmly rooted in Victorian traditions.
From Fiddles to Pipes: The Musical History of St. John the Baptist Church
Before St. John’s possessed its famous organ, worship was accompanied by fiddles, bassoons and village musicians. This article traces the church’s musical journey from Georgian church bands and singing lofts to the arrival of the historic Samuel Green organ, later selected for an internationally acclaimed Handel recording and still filling the church with music today.
St. John the Baptist Church Tower
The church tower has watched over Armitage for almost four centuries, yet its history is far more complex than it first appears. Inscriptions, drawings, restoration reports and architectural evidence reveal how the tower has evolved through rebuilding, changing bell installations and successive repairs while remaining the oldest substantial part of St. John the Baptist Church.
Gifford Foote BEM
Gifford, a retired teacher, has devoted his life to community service, founding Meeting Point in 1999 to combat isolation. Now in his mid-80s, he remains actively involved, supporting vulnerable residents and fostering connections. His dedication was honoured with a British Empire Medal in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List.