The Mediaeval Church

The chancel arch in St. John the Baptist's church in Wales

There is no mention of a church in Wales in the Domesday Book and St. John the Baptist's church is believed to have been built in the reign of Henry I, during the 12th century.

A general view from the north-east

Comprising a simple nave and chapel, the oldest masonry seen in what is now the north aisle is built with irregularly coursed rubble blocks of the local Pennine Middle Coal Measures sandstone, with roughly shaped quoins. The very crude nature of the walling is further emphasised by the use of large face bedded stones in the lower courses, which is quite an unusual feature.

Large faced bedded blocks of sandstone in the Norman nave

Like many other similar sandstones that can be found around the Pennines, it is a poor quality building stone, with a high silt content and variable quantities of iron oxides, and is very weathered in places - often with deep scouring of the softer beds.

Variations in weathering

The next phase of the construction is during the 15th century, with the addition of the tower and the rebuilding of the upper third of the old Norman walls – including the windows - using a coarse, cross-bedded and mottled variety of “Rotherham Red” sandstone, as previously seen in the 15th extensions of the mediaeval churches in Harthill and Todwick.

The 15th century tower

Also, the 15th century windows in all three churches are remarkably similar in style – with the window surrounds essentially built in the "Rotherham Red" sandstone, with Magnesian Limestone reserved for the mullions and tracery.

A 15th century window added to the Norman nave

In the interior, the original south wall of the church has been completely demolished and replaced by the north arcade of the Victorian church and all of the walls have been plastered; however a fine Norman arch, with chevrons and other carved details, has been left exposed.

A detail of the chancel arch