St John's Church is a Church of England church in

Fishpond Bottom A Fish pond or fishpond is a pond, artificial lake, or reservoir that is stocked with fish. Fish pond, Fishpond and Fishponds may also refer to: Places * Fishpond, Alabama, an unincorporated community in Coosa County * Fishponds, a suburb of Bris ...

, Dorset, England. It was built in 1852 and has been a Grade II listed building since 1984. Today the church forms part of the Golden Cap Team of Churches, with a morning service held there three Sundays a month.

History

St John's was built in 1852 as a

chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently. Often a chapel of ea ...

to the parish church of St Candida and Holy Cross at

Whitchurch Canonicorum Whitchurch Canonicorum () is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale west-northwest of Bridport. In the 2011 Census the parish – which includes the settlements of Morcombelake, Ryall and Fishp ...

. With a three to four mile journey to the parish church from Fishpond Bottom, Rev. William Palmer, the vicar of Whitchurch Canonicorum, began conducting a Sunday evening service in a licensed room at Fishpond Bottom around the beginning of 1852. The attendance of the weekly service surpassed the vicar's expectations and a purpose-built church was then erected through his efforts. Construction of the church began in May 1852 and was completed by September. At the time of completion, the church was licensed but not consecrated.

Design

The church, designed to accommodate 200 persons, is made up of a four-bay nave and north porch, with a turret containing one bell on the roof's west gable. The church is built of local stone sourced from near

Stoke Abbott Stoke Abbott is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, west of Beaminster. In 2013 the estimated population of the parish was 190. The author Ralph Wightman, agriculturist, broadcaster, and native of Dorset, described the village as ...

, with Hamstone used for the window mullions and heads, and slate on the roof. The intermediate space between the stone walls is filled with flint. Interior fittings include a small octagonal stone font and stained glass of 1967 by Arthur Edward Buss. The altar room contains slate flooring laid by John Stark and Partners in 1963.

References

External links

Golden Cap Team of Churches website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John's Church, Fishpond Bottom Churches in Dorset Grade II listed churches in Dorset Church of England church buildings in Dorset