St. John's Church (also known as St John the Baptist Church) is an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

Church of England church in Fortuneswell, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It was built between 1838–40 and has been a

Listed Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...

building since January 1951. The churchyard walls, gate piers, railings, and steps of St. John's Church, dating from 1839–40, became Grade II Listed in September 1978. At this same time, two headstone monuments, about 5 metres north east from the west tower of the church became Grade II Listed. Designed by Edward Mondey or Charles Wallis, the church cost £2,315. Built of Portland stone, the church has a Gothic design in Commissioners' Early English style. It has also been described as Norman in its architecture. The church remains active, as part of the Portland Parish - a host of three churches; St John's Church (St John the Baptist),

All Saints Church All Saints Church, or All Saints' Church or variations on the name may refer to: Albania *All Saints' Church, Himarë Australia * All Saints Church, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory * All Saints Anglican Church, Henley Brook, Western Aust ...

and the Avalanche Memorial Church (St Andrew's Church).

History

St George's Church, built between 1754–66, was the island's only parish church into the 19th century. However, by the 1830s, it had become too small and inconvenient for the increasing population within Underhill. It was decided that a new church should be built for Underhill as a sister church to St George's. The church's construction commenced in 1838, and was completed by 1840, with the work undertaken by John Hancock of Weymouth. In 1865 Underhill became a parish in its own right, with St. John's becoming the parish church. During 1876 the church underwent renovation and was also enlarged. This included the addition of a chancel and organ chamber by George Crickmay. During 1901 a new Parish room for the church was built and opened at the north end of Ventnor Road. When the Second World War drew to a close, on VJ Day, the 14th Port Regiment of the US Army presented its Stars and Stripes colours to St John's Church, as a memento of its close association with the people of Portland, both service and civilian. In 1968 a Father Willis Organ was brought from St Paul's School, Kensington, London for £2,000, and installed after the balcony was reinforced. The organ fell into disrepair due to lack of use, with repairs quoted at an unachievable £100,000. In 2013 it was sold to the Parish Church of Our Lady of Loretu, Għajnsielem

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

References

External links

*
Portland Parish website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John's Church, Portland Isle of Portland

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

Grade II listed churches in Dorset 1840 establishments in England