The Church of St. John the Baptist, South Moreton

Ambrosden church

The church of St. John the Baptist in South Moreton consists of a continuous chancel and nave measuring internally 56 ft. 10 in. by 16 ft. 3½ in. in width at the east end and 15 ft. 7½ in. at the west end, a south aisle 16 ft. 4 in. in width at the east end and 16 ft. 8 in. at the west end, of the same length as the chancel and nave, a modern vestry on the north, and a modern south porch. Surmounting the west gable of the south aisle is a modern stone bellcote.

The west wall and part of the south wall of the nave are probably of the 11th century, and formed part of a church consisting of a chancel and nave only. The west doorway of this early building, which has a perfectly plain round-headed arch, has been blocked up and has perhaps been reset, though the thinness of the wall here would well agree with an early date. It is only visible externally, and the voussoirs are rebated to hold the plastering flush with the visible portion of the masonry. At the end of the 12th or in the early years of the 13th century a south aisle was added, not so wide as the present south aisle, and the two western bays of the south arcade were inserted, the capitals showing transitional features. Later in the 13th century, c. 1240, the south arcade of the chancel was formed and the south aisle enlarged to its present dimensions. In the late 14th century windows were inserted, and possibly the north wall of the nave, which contains no earlier features, was rebuilt. In the 15th century the south-east window was inserted and ornamented buttresses were added to the south wall. The church was also probably reroofed. The east walls of the chancel and aisle were rebuilt in 1849, when a vestry was added and a new arch was opened in the wall between the two portions of the arcade. This is said to have contained a low and plain semicircular-headed opening, perhaps a south doorway of the same date as the early west doorway. The church was restored throughout at this period, and the nave and aisle were reroofed.

The east window is modern, of three trefoiled lights. In the north wall is another modern window, of two cinquefoiled ogee lights within a square head, copied from the original late 14th-century window in the western part of this wall. Next to the westward is a modern doorway to the vestry. The modern pulpit, of stone, is set against this wall and entered from the vestry by an opening with a two-centred head. The remaining window in this wall served as the copy for the north-east window, which is of two cinquefoiled ogee lights within a square head with pierced and foliated spandrels. To the west of this is a built-up north doorway of similar date, visible externally, with a moulded two-centred head and jambs. In the west wall is a 14th-century window of three trefoiled ogee lights with reticulated tracery within a two-centred head, and at the north-west angle is a diagonal buttress of the same date. The remaining three buttresses of the north wall and the north-east angle buttress are modern. In the exterior of the west wall, below the sill of the west window, is visible the built-up west doorway of the original nave, possibly Saxon in origin. The semicircular head is unmoulded and springs from moulded imposts. The jambs are plain. The south arcade is of five bays; the two eastern bays have two-centred arches of two chamfered orders, supported by semicircular responds and a central circular column with moulded bell capitals and bases standing on square plinths. The central arch, as stated above, was enlarged to its present form in the restoration of 1849. The two western bays have two-centred arches of two square orders with a circular column and semicircular responds, the abaci being square and truncated at the angles. The capitals are plain bells. The bases are moulded and stand on square plinths.

The east window of the south aisle is of three cinquefoiled lights with multifoiled intersecting tracery within a two-centred head. This window is of c. 1320, and has been reset in the rebuilt wall. At the south-east is a double piscina with chamfered two-centred heads and chamfered jambs, divided by a small circular column with moulded capital and base. In the spandrel formed by the two heads is an eight-leaved flower contained within a circle. The basins have been plastered over; the drain of the east basin is, however, visible. The south-east window is of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery within a square head. This window is of original 15th-century date. The next two windows towards the west are of late 14th-century type, each being of two cinquefoiled ogee lights with pierced and foliated spandrels within a square head. On the east side of the south doorway is a 13th-century lancet window with grating-holes in the external jambs. The south doorway, which is also of the 13th century, has a two-centred head of two chamfered orders. The jambs are continuous with the orders of the head, save for the interposition of a shallow moulded impost. West of this is a 13th-century single light with a trefoil head and rebates for shutters on the outside. In the west gable is a modern circular foliated window. A string-course, probably of 13th-century date, runs below the sills of the windows of the south wall. At the south-east is a diagonal buttress of two offsets with a cinquefoiled panel on the face of the lower stage containing a blank shield suspended by a guige. The east walls of aisle and chancel line externally, and their division is marked by a modern buttress following the same design, while the two eastern buttresses of the south wall are also modern and of similar type. The division between aisle and nave is marked on the west wall in the same manner as on the east wall. The walls, except where they have been rebuilt, are faced with flint. The present high-pitched roofs are modern, and are tiled externally. An old sketch, taken about sixty years ago, shows the roofs to have been at that time of low pitch, arguing the probable existence of 15th-century timber roofs. A western timber belfry is also shown rising above the gable. A brass dated 1436, recently lost, was probably for Richard Kene.

There are two bells, both of which are modern.

The communion plate consists of a chalice and paten. The chalice bears the date letter of 1786 and is inscribed, 'The gift of William West Green A.M. Vice Principal of Magdalen Hall Oxford and Rector of this Parish 1786.' The paten bears the date letter of 1584 and is a fine example of Elizabethan plate. In the centre is engraved a Tudor rose. The underside of the foot is engraved with a quatrefoil, and on a band encircling it is inscribed 'Sovth Morton.'

The registers previous to 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms and burials 1599 to 1699, marriages 1599 to 1649 and 1660 to 1699; (ii) baptisms and burials 1700 to 1756, marriages 1700 to 1755; (iii) baptisms 1757 to 1811, burials 1757 to 1812, marriages 1758 to 1771; (iv) marriages 1771 to 1813.

Historical information about The Church of St. John the Baptist is provided by 'Parishes: South Moreton', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3, ed. P H Ditchfield and William Page (London, 1923), pp. 498-504. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3/pp498-504 [accessed 28 March 2023].

The Church of St. John the Baptist is a Grade II listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, South Moreton - 1047885 | Historic England.

For more information about The Church of St. John the Baptist see Parishes: South Moreton | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk).