St. John the Baptist's Church, Clowne, is a

Grade II* listed 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 Irel ...

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

parish church situated in

Clowne Clowne is a village and civil parish in the Bolsover district of Derbyshire, England. The population at the 2001 Census was 7,447 increasing to 7,590 (and including Harlesthorpe) at the 2011 Census. It forms part of the Bolsover constituency. ...

, a village and civil parish in the Bolsover district of

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

, England. The church, along with the medieval cross, is the oldest structure in the village.

History

The parish church in Clowne was built in 1138. Originally dedicated as "All Saints", the church stood adjacent on the ridgeway route between

Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market tow ...

and Worksop Priory. The church's dedication was soon changed to

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

and the first rector was John M. Leyaster, who was recorded in 1299. Throughout the churches history there have been a total of 49 rectors. The tower dates back to the 15th century with the bells added at various times with the first being installed in 1591, then 1616 and finally 1812. During 1955 the church was extended to accommodate new choir stalls, sanctuary and organ. It was around this time that additional chapels were created on the side; these were used as a children's chapel and the other a miners chapel. The men who lost their lives in the

Creswell Colliery Disaster Creswell is a former mining village located in the Bolsover district of Derbyshire, England. At the 2011 Census population details were included in the civil parish of Elmton-with-Creswell. Today it is best known for Creswell Crags and its mode ...

in 1950 are remembered in this chapel. The church also features stained glass windows and two paintings by Jean Baptiste Butatte, "The Ten Commandments" and "The Ascension". The

Creswell Colliery disaster Creswell is a former mining village located in the Bolsover district of Derbyshire, England. At the 2011 Census population details were included in the civil parish of Elmton-with-Creswell. Today it is best known for Creswell Crags and its mode ...

is also remembered on a stained glass window within the chapel.

List of rectors

Organ

A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

Bells

The tower contains a ring of six bells dating from 1932 cast by Mears and Stainbank.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clowne, John the Baptist 12th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in Derbyshire Grade II* listed churches in Derbyshire Bolsover District

History

List of rectors

Organ

Bells

See also

References