East Oakley: St John
Overview
Grid reference: SU 581 500
An idiosyncratic little neo-gothic church with arts and crafts elements tucked away at the eastern edge of the expanded village of Oakley off St John’s Road, in effect part of a ring road around Oakley. It was built on a new site in 1913 as a daughter church of Wootton St Lawrence.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Demolished
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
-bay nave, shallow transepts, chancel with flanking rooms (vestry and kitchen), south porch, lean-to chemical toilet (disused) and store at the west end.
Dimensions:
Nave 8m (25 feet) x 6m (18.5 feet).
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built on a new site in 1913 as a daughter church of Wootton St Lawrence. The architect does not seem to be recorded.
Exterior Description
The church is very compact and low, only a copper-clad fleche giving any vertical emphasis. The exterior is rendered and this has become blackened, together with the slates lending the building a rather dour appearance.
The church has a single low-pitched gabled roof over the nave and chancel which is articulated over the projecting side chambers. The transepts have projecting gables, as has the porch. There is a shallow coped gable above a rectangular doorway leading into the chancel through the east wall, an odd feature which would seem to suggest that the original plan has been truncated. It is flanked by added buttresses with a brick weathering. The outer walls also have stumpy angle and square buttresses of one weathering.
The fenestration is regular, with identical cusped single lights in each bay, and 3-lights in the transept gables and high in the chancel wall. Above this is a fretted gable board, a motif repeated in the lych-gate. There are two windows in the west end, and rectangular casement windows in the side chambers.
Interior
Interior Description
The dominating feature of the dimly-lit interior is undoubtedly the quite oppressively heavy, dark-stained and arch-braced oak roof, which gives the impression of not fitting the building; it is pushing out the walls with its weight. It is nicely taken down to arch-braced posts flanking the sanctuary recess. These are flanked in turn by rectangular doorways giving access to the side chambers.
The interior is whitewashed, the east wall painted light blue. The windows have iron ferrementa, and cathedral and frosted glass. Floors covered in blue carpet. The fittings and furnishings date to the early 20th century, the nave has plain wooden chairs. The church is clearly well maintained.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1914-20
Oak table
Reredos
1914-20
Large dorsal curtain, and painting of the Madonna and Child high on the wall, a reproduction.
Pulpit
1914-20
Pine, simple
Lectern
1914-20
Simple, wooden
Plaque (object)
Brass plaque commemorating the benefactors who gave the land and paid for the church, Sydney Eggers Bates and his wife Elizabeth Jessie Bates.
Organ (object)
Small, electronic
Churchyard
Grid reference: SU 581 500
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.
It is unknown whether 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
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