St John the Evangelist

Introduction

St John the Evangelist in Banbury, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, is a Grade II listed building, first listed on 08-Jul-1975. The chancel and painted decoration are attributed to Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.

History

The church was one of thirty-five Catholic churches built in England between 1837 and 1845. The church was designed by the Oxford-based architects Hickman and Derick. The furnishings in the Sanctuary and stained glass windows are attributed to Augustus Welby Pugin.

The church is Gothic-revival style with limestone ashlar, ironstone plinth, and lead roof. The church has a chancel, nave, and west tower. The interior includes a stone relief below the altar of the Crucifixion c.1400 from the old parish church.

Architecture and furnishings

The church has an embattled chancel with an east window of 3 lights with traceried pointed arched head, flanked by two similar 2-light windows. The nave has 5 bays divided by buttresses, with five 2-light pointed arched windows with traceried heads and hood moulds. The west tower has 4 stages, with a west doorway having a wooden door, moulded and chamfered jambs and spandrels with quatrefoil decoration. Above the west door is a niche with traceried canopy and a figure with eagle on pedestal.

The tower has a clock at the third stage and a bell stage above with 2-light louvred windows with hood moulds. The west end of the nave has flanking niches with traceried heads and figures standing on pilasters. The interior has a painted vaulted roof in the chancel supported on 4 slender columns. The interior includes a painted aumbry. The nave roof is vaulted, and there are slender columns with foliated capitals and a balcony.

Parish life

The parish runs a Children's Liturgy for its youngest parishioners. The parish has a Guild of St Stephen Children's Altar Server Ministry shared across St John's and St Joseph's communities. The parish has a music ministry of choristers who lead the congregation in singing during Mass.

The parish offers sacramental preparation courses for children not attending a Catholic school. The parish runs an RCIA course for adults becoming Catholic.

The parish has online communities on WhatsApp and Facebook. The parish provides preparation for marriage, including for those getting married in another parish, diocese or country. St John's Church has a suite of rooms in the Dupuis Centre available for hire, including four rooms and a kitchen.