St John the Baptist Church, Little Maplestead

Heritage listing

Details TL 83 SW LITTLE MAPLESTEAD CHURCH STREET 4/137 Church of St. John the Baptist 21.6.62 II* Parish Church, originally a chapel of The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem - Knights Hospitallers. Circa 1340. Largely rebuilt 1849-55. South Vestry and West Porch late C19. Flint rubble with limestone dressings. Red plain tiled roofs. Although practically rebuilt the church is of great interest on account of the plan. It has one of the five remaining circular naves in England. The Chancel has a semi-circular apse with traces of the blocked East window. There are two C19 windows in north and south walls of two lights with quatrefoils over and C19 stained glass. C19 two centred arched door to south vestry. In the north wall between the windows are traces of a blocked doorway. There is no chancel arch. The round Nave with an arcade of six bays. The two centred arches are of slightly wave moulded orders. The columns are each of three filleted shafts divided by V shaped projections with C19 capitals and bases (all much restored). From each pier springs a two-centred arch which crosses the aisle and rests on carved foliage corbels on the outer wall. The outer wall has four Cl9 windows, longer but otherwise matching those of the Chancel. West doorway possibly C14 restored Cl9. Of two chamfered orders the west face carved with panels containing quatrefoil flowers. Label carved with upright and reversed triangles, each with trefoil flowers. Arcade walls support a Cl9 bell turret with a tiled pyramidal roof. Gabled dormers to main roof and small sound louvres to weatherboarded bell turret. Iron weathercock to apex. Cl9 enclosed west porch, with 4 light windows to north and south, flint plinth and boarded front. Vertically boarded double doors. Font. Probably C11. Limestone. Rough, o

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.