Dudley, Kate's Hill: St John
Diocese of Worcester
Church, 642203
http://www.st-johns-kates-hill.co.ukOverview
Grid reference: SO 951 900
This early Victorian Gothic stone-faced church occupies a prominent position on Kates Hill in Dudley, a mix of Victorian terraces, 1930’s houses and 1970’s flats and bungalows. The Early English style church is quite large and tall with a prominent west tower which makes full use of this location for townscape impact, to the south of and overlooking what the post-war planners have left of the historic town, framed by the two historic town churches and with the castle at its eastern end. The church was built in 1840 on the site of an earlier temporary building. The architect was William Bourne and the builder John Holland.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
7-bay aisled nave, 2-bay chancel flanked by organ chamber and vestry, west tower.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 23m (75ft) x 5m (16,6ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 491 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Dudley is a historic town with the famous castle at one end, which saw industrial expansion from the 19th century and decline in the late 20th. The church was built in 1840 on the site of an earlier temporary building. Given the historic importance of Dudley and prominent hilltop location, the Historic Environment Record should be consulted before any development of the site is considered. There are no TPOs or other designations, but the dramatically sloping churchyard is a popular place to sit and walk, with good views, and mature trees and grass.
The architect was William Bourne and the builder John Holland, who also built St James in the same year (indeed both were consecrated on the same day) on the other side of the town centre, which is almost identical. Both were chapels-of-ease to St Thomas, and later raised to parish status. The churches were built on land given by the Earl of Dudley, then Lord Ward. The money was raised partly by private subscriptions, partly by donations from the Worcester Society for erecting churches and from the Church Building Commissioners.
Joint fundraising for both churches included a Grand Bazaar lasting two days in July 1837, in the grounds of Dudley Castle. The Parochial Church Council has an undated engraving which showed the former internal appearance of the church. This shows a gallery to the sides, supported by metal columns and with a plain panelled front, no clerestory and a roof with wide, queen post trusses with cusped timbers.
The lych-gate was added after the First World War. The church is basically unchanged since, some fittings and furnishings have been added and removed over the years. St John's was listed in 2009.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in the Early English style, the defining feature lancets. Externally the architecture is symmetrical and simple. The west tower is of three stages framed by angle buttresses with stepped buttresses, the lower stage with a pointed doorway, above this a single tall lancet, the belfry stage has twin louvred lancet openings in each face. Plain parapet. The tower is flanked by the steeply sloping ends of the aisles, with two small lancets in each following the slope, an original motif. Coped and shouldered gables with plain cross finials throughout.
The nave is higher than the chancel, and has a narrow clearstorey. Each nave bay has a single tall lancet between slender buttresses of two weatherings, and each clearstorey bay has a pair of quatrefoil openings. There is a single lancet in the eastern bay of the sanctuary on both sides, and a further one to light the lean-to organ chamber and vestry which flank the chancel. The east window is a triple stepped lancet, angle buttresses of two weatherings.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 7-bay aisled
Chancel
19th century 2-bay
Organ (component)
19th century chamber
Vestry
19th century
Tower (component)
19th century west
Building Materials
Brick
19th century
Sandstone
19th century facing
Stone
19th century dressings
Concrete
19th century roof tiles
Interior
Interior Description
Inside the church is as little changed as it is outside since the insertion of the galleries, with the exception of the cream and white (the nave), salmon pink (the aisles) and green (chancel) colour scheme and the treatment of the windows.
Looking up there are galleries on all sides with cusped arcaded fronts, carried on cast-iron brackets. The plain pointed arcades have a continuous hood-mould and are carried on thin columns with annulets and heavily carved floriate capitals, somewhat reminiscent of French Gothic. The roof is arch-braced, taken down to carved corbels. Red carpet floors. The nave has identical pitched pine bench pews with simple moulded ends and an inset quatrefoil.
Looking east, there is a filigree wrought iron chancel screen within the double-chamfered pointed chancel arch. There are simple pointed doorways in the walls to each side. In the chancel, the organ takes up the western bay on the north side, with nicely decorated pipes and Gothic architectural case. The choir stalls are painted white and have pierced lancet fronts, and there is a nicely carved tripartite stone sedilie in the south wall. The floor is of plain tiles, rising by three steps to the stone altar and reredos which provides a focus, flanked on all sides by stained glass windows. Arch-braced roof with collar, painted white.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century stone table, the reredos integral
Reredos
19th century tripartite carved stone reredos with blind lancets in the form of a church seen from the west, two small figures of Mary and John in niches, apparently looking up to the stained glass window. Plain wood panelling behind.
Pulpit
19th century the pulpit is of Caen stone and marble, circular with figures in relief within niches, given in 1873 by Evalina Terry
Lectern
19th century wooden
Font (component)
20th century stone font, octagonal bowl, in west corner of north aisle, designed by Thomas Grazebrook in 1905
Stained Glass (window)
19th century There is stained glass in the east window, the Crucifixion and the north and south lancets of the chancel, the Good Shepherd and the Holy Family (in memory of Revd Crump, died 1882), late 19th century.
Plaque (component)
20th century several brass plaques
Organ (component)
19th century Three manual pipe organ by P Connacher & Co.
Rail
19th century heavy Gothic tracery oak
Churchyard
Grid reference: SO 951 900
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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