St John the Baptist Church, Coventry

St John the Baptist Church, Coventry
Front of the church viewed from Corporation Street
52°24′28.86″N 1°30′58.75″W / 52.4080167°N 1.5163194°W / 52.4080167; -1.5163194Coordinates: 52°24′28.86″N 1°30′58.75″W / 52.4080167°N 1.5163194°W / 52.4080167; -1.5163194
Location Coventry
Country  Great Britain
Denomination Church of England
Previous denomination Roman Catholic Church
Churchmanship Traditional Catholic (The Society)
Website www.stjohnthebaptistcoventry.org.uk
History
Status Active
Founded 1344
Founder(s) Isabella of France
Consecrated 2 May 1350
Architecture
Functional status Parish church
Heritage designation Grade I listed
Administration
Parish Coventry St John the Baptist
Deanery Coventry North
Archdeaconry Coventry
Diocese Coventry
Province Canterbury
Clergy
Bishop(s) The Rt Revd Jonathan Goodall (AEO)
Rector Fr Dexter Bracey

The Collegiate and Parish Church of St John the Baptist is located in the Medieval area of Spon Street in the city centre of Coventry, West Midlands, England. The church is a Grade I listed building.[1]

College of Bablake

The church was founded in 1344 by Isabella of France, who granted the guild of St John a piece of land called "Babbelak" for the construction of a chapel in honour of God and St John the Baptist. This was to be used for their own services, but included a chantry of two priests to sing daily Mass for the royal family. The eastern part was ready for consecration on 2 May 1350.[2]

In 1393 the number of priests was raised to nine. In the early part of the 16th century this was raised to twelve.

The college was dissolved in 1548; the priests were pensioned in sums varying from £5 6s. 8d. to £2 13s. 4d. Five of these pensioners were still living in 1555.

Wardens

  • John Norton c. 1457
  • Robert Glasmond c. 1535

Parish church

The church ceased to be used for worship around 1590. During the English Civil War it was a prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston. Later it was used as stables, then a market and a winding and dying house for cloth. In 1734 it was restored as a place of worship.[3] It is now in the Church of England Diocese of Coventry.

St John the Baptist Church possesses a relic of Saint Valentine of Rome, which in 2016 was displayed on the altar in a reliquary during the Mass held on Saint Valentine's Day.[4]

Furnishings

The finishings are nearly all late 19th or early 20th century, influenced by the Oxford Movement, with a fine carved rood screen in late medieval style.

The south chapel has a reredos by Sir Ninian Comper with a central Crucifixion group.

Present day

St John's stands in the Traditional Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England. As such, it promotes a traditional understanding of the ordination of priests and bishops and has passed a resolution under the House of Bishops Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests, receiving alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Historic England. "Church of St John the Baptist (1342889)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. ↑ William Page (1908). "'Colleges: Bablake, Coventry', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 2 (1908), pp. 120-121". Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Coventry Standard, 31 October 1856, p. 2, St John's Church, Coventry.
  4. ↑ Bell, Bethan (13 February 2016). "St Valentine's finger beckons lovers to Coventry". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "St John the Baptist, Coventry: Parish Profile" (pdf). See of Ebbsfleet. September 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
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