St. John Baptist, Crowthorne
Crowthorne was the place in the Royal Forest where the walks of Sandhurst, Bigshot and Easthampstead met, and as the name suggests it was a wild, virtually uninhabited place. In the latter half of the nineteenth century the establishment of Wellington College and Broadmoor hospital led to the development of the village as is known today, and in 1894 it was made a civil parish. The growing community was originally served by curate Revd Lenny of Sandhurst, and services were held in Ifould Kitchen. In 1868 a wooden church was erected to serve temporarily, and in 1872 the first stone was laid of today’s church.
The Church Outside
Despite being only a small community, the land was given and the money raised by public subscription to commission the famous architect A. Blomfield, son of the Bishop of London, to design a Church for Crowthorne. The building is red brick with Bath stone trimming, and the windows have simple plate tracery, inspired by Medieval architecture. As several new rooms have been added at the west end of the building, the original building in fact lies to the right of the south door and it is here that the most interesting parts of the building are found.
Surprisingly, while being tall, the belfry of the Church houses only a solitary bell. This is because the foundations of the building are neither deep enough nor the structure strong enough to support the weight of a full peal of bells.
The Church Inside
The immediate impact of Crowthorne Church, as you enter the church from the south door, is made by the courses of red and black bricks and the great timbered roof. This style is typical where Victorian architects believed in honesty in the use of materials. The natural colours and textures of the materials are retained and are decorative features in themselves, instead of being plastered over or painted.
To the right of the south door is the inventory of vicars of St. John’s. Curate Lenny became the first vicar, paid from pew rents, subscriptions and the offertory. The longest serving vicar was Revd Coleridge, from 1894-1946. He was a man of immense physical stature, requiring two crossbars and a giant saddle for his bicycle. Despite the lack of bells in his own church, he became a renowned bellringer.
The southwest corner of the Church holds the font, which was designed in a restrained Medieval style. The stained glass of the great east window is from 1893, by C. E. Kempe. There are seven lamps set before the window, representing the seven spirits of God as recorded in the Revelation of St. John.
The Churchyard and Wildlife
St. John’s churchyard is a tranquil place for quiet reflection. Here, in a flowery grassland which serves as a refuge for many wild flower species, stand monuments over a hundred years old. Amongst the plant species found here are Sheep’s sorrel, Bird’s-foot trefoil (God’s thumb and finger), Wild thyme and Field woodrush (Good Friday grass).
Twenty bird species have been seen in the churchyard, and eight species of butterfly, including the heathland rarity the Silver-studded blue.
Visiting St. John’s Church
You are very welcome to visit St. John’s Church. If you would like to go inside, the Church is normally open in the mornings. To visit at other times please call The Vicarage on 01344 772413.
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