St John's Church
St John's Church, also known as the Church of St John the Baptist, is a Church of England church of mid-19th century origin in Fortuneswell. It was built in 1839-40 and has been a Grade II listed building since January 1951. The churchyard walls, gate piers, railings, and steps also became Grade II listed in September 1978, as did two headstone monuments, about 5 metres north east from the church's tower. St John's remains active to date as part of the Portland Parish, which also includes All Saints' and St Andrew's.
History
Construction and opening of St John's Church (1837-40)
St John's was built as a chapel-of-ease to St George's at Reforne, which had been completed in 1764 to replace Portland's original parish church, St Andrew's. By the 1830s, St George's was no longer able to comfortably accommodate the increasing population on the island, particularly the residents of Underhill, some of whom were approximately two miles away from the parish church. Furthermore, none of the 630 sittings in St George's was free and unappropriated as its cost of construction was raised in part by the freehold selling of the seats.
Owing to the deficiency in church accommodation on the island, fundraising by public subscription began in 1837 for a new church to be built in Underhill "capable of containing at least 560 sittings, of which one half will be free, and the remainder let at low rents". The scheme was initiated by an anonymous donation of £1,500 from "a source altogether unconnected with the Island" which was received on the condition that the parish raised enough additional finance to construct the new church.
A plot of land in Fortuneswell was purchased for a cost of £200 and plans for the church drawn up by Mr. Edward Mondey of Dorchester. The majority of the funding required was raised by public subscription. Grants were also received from the Incorporated and Diocesan Societies, along with a donation of £300 from Queen Victoria. A sum from the funds bequeathed by Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Haymen "for the benefit of the Church of England" was also donated (possibly the anonymous donation of £1,500 received in 1837).
The foundation stone was laid by Portland's governor, Captain Charles August Manning, on 1 July 1839. The day began with a service at St George's, followed by the Weymouth band leading a procession down to the Fortuneswell site. Children of the local Sunday School sang a hymn before the stone was laid, while afterwards Rev. D. Hogarth read a prayer and speeches were made by Captain Manning and Rev. Jenocer. The day was recorded as being "remarkably fine, which drew a great number of visitors to the island, who, as well as the inhabitants, will long remember with delight the proceedings of the day."
The builder, Mr. John Hancock of Weymouth, completed the church in 1840 for a cost of £2,115 and it was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Edward Denison, the Bishop of Salisbury, on 12 September 1840. The day was described by the Sherborne Mercury as "an unusual scene of bustle and activity" with "visitors pour[ing] into the island; and during the day the Chesil bank was studded with every species of vehicle which Weymouth and its neighbourhood could afford." Some visitors arrived to the island on-board the revenue tender Petrel, which had been made available by Captain Dobson for those journeying to witness the consecration. Over 800 people were admitted into the church on the day.
19th century use and alteration of 1876-77
From the mid-19th century, Portland saw large increases to its population as a result of the transformation of Portland Roads into a harbour of refuge, along with the various government works linked to it and the Royal Navy's increasing presence there. Marking the beginning of Portland's transformation into an urban area, Fortuneswell dramatically changed during this time. To address the increasing educational needs on the island, St John's National School was established in Fortuneswell during the 1840s. In 1857, new, larger premises, capable of accommodating up to 500 children, was opened. The school was designed by Edward Mondey and built by Messrs. White and Hansford of Portland. St George's National School was also established in Reforne to serve Tophill at the same time.
Owing to its small size, the graveyard of St John's had become full prior to 1860, resulting in the use of St George's for burials. As St John's had been used for a number of burials of sailors belonging to the Channel Fleet, the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty agreed to transform a plot of their own land near Castle Road to form a new cemetery, now known as Stranger's Cemetery. The half acre plot was consecrated by the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt. Rev. Walter Kerr Hamilton, on 28 August 1861. The majority of the new cemetery was designated for the burial of Royal Navy sailors and their families, and a smaller section for use of St John's Church.
Eight years later, on 13 July 1865, Underhill was made a separate parish from Tophill, with St John's becoming Underhill's parish church. A new organ, built by Mr. F. T. Costloe of Isleworth, was opened in the church on 9 December 1866. In late 1872, Rev. Henry Jenour, St John's first vicar, began collecting funds for the replacement of the church's tower clock, which had been added a few years after St John's was built and fallen into "such a bad state that it can only be sold for old iron". A working committee of the "New Parish Clock Fund" was formed in May 1873 and the necessary funds had been raised by early October. The new clock was installed in January-February 1874.
Enlargement and renovation work followed in 1876-77, which included the building of a chancel and organ chamber, reseating and the installation of modern heating apparatus. The plans were drawn up by Mr. George Crickmay and the work carried out by Mr. John Patten of Portland under Crickmay's supervision. Queen Victoria contributed £50 towards the approximate £1,000 cost. Work commenced on 17 July 1876 and the church re-opened for service on 6 April 1877, which saw the Archdeacon of Dorset, the Ven. T. Sanctuary, perform the morning service and Rev. Talbot Greaves of Melcombe Regis the evening service. With the completion of the new chancel, the organ, which had been renovated by Messrs. Castlar and Son of Isleworth, was transferred from the gallery.
20th century use and World War II
In 1901, a new parish hall associated with the church was built and opened at the northern end of Ventnor Road. The Portland Year Book of 1905 noted that the new facility was "proving a great boon to the work of the church". On 5 September 1920, St John's vicar, Rev. L. T. Pearson, dedicated a wall tablet in memory of the Second Lieutenant Percy Bernard Wrigley, who was killed in action in France on 25 March 1918.
Although St John's escaped major harm during World War II, two German air raids of 1940 saw much damage to the vicarage and St John's School. The vicarage suffered a hit in August, while Rev G. D. Whitaker was holding a service at the church. He returned to the residence immediately after the raid to find his family had survived by taking refuge under the stairs, but a large section of the house was left in ruins. 38 Queens Road became the reverend's temporary residence until the vicarage could be rebuilt. A month later, in September, St John's School suffered such extensive damage that it had to be permanently closed. The remains were later sold by auction in 1951 and the site went on to be developed into St John's Close.
After the Allied victory of the war, the 14th Port Regiment of the US Army, which had been involved in D-Day support operations, presented its Stars and Stripes to St John's as a memento of its close association with the people of Portland, both service and civilian. The colours are still displayed on the church wall today.
Design
St John's is built of Portland stone in the Early English style, with slate and tile roofs. It was designed to accommodate 616 worshippers, with 396 free sittings and 170 let at 2s. per year. The church is made up of a seven-bay unaisled nave, chancel, vestry and three-stage tower at the west end. The chancel and its organ chamber was built in 1876-77 and the vestry during the 20th century. As the chosen site for the building was naturally steep, a platform was cut into the hillside and the church was built on a north-west to south-east axis.
The church's original hexagonal font was gifted by Captain Manning and the communion table by Rev. H. P. Ward. The chancel of 1876-77 was built with a tesselated pavement and a rose window with semi-opaque glass. In 1969, a large Willis Organ of 1896 was purchased from St Paul's School in West Kensington for £2,000 and installed in the nave's west gallery. By the 21st century, the organ was in need of repair and was sold in 2013 to the church Our Lady of Loreto in Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta. The 1920 memorial to Lieutenant Wrigley is a brass tablet mounted on grey marble.
The Grade II listed churchyard boundary walls, gate piers, railings, and steps are made of Portland ashlar, wrought and cast-iron. The two Grade II listed headstone monuments, located about 5 metres north east from the church tower are of mid-19th century origins, and set very close together. Built of Portland Stone, both have inscriptions that are now barely decipherable, with one still recognisable with the name John Green.
In 1840, the Sherborne Mercury described the church as a "plain but elegant structure". In their list entry, Historic England recorded that the church is of a "simple dignity, reflecting minimal outlay by the Commissioners, but provides an important accent in the street".
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) A Church Near You - The Church of England - St John the Baptist, Portland - website page
2) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Churches, Buildings and Views - St. John's the Baptist Church - Paul Benyon - website page
3) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Year Book 1905 - Portland's Population - Paul Benyon - website page
4) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Year Book 1905 - The Schools on The Isle of Portland - Paul Benyon - website page
5) Do You Remember? - Portland's War - Part 1 - Sept. 1939 to Sept. 1940 - An Island Time Publication - Amusement World - book
6) Do You Remember? - Portland's War - Part 2 - Sept. 1940 to Sept. 1941 - An Island Time Publication - Amusement World - book
7) Dorset for You - Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland - PDF document
8) Exploring Portland - Fortuneswell North - Geoff Kirby - website page
9) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Church of St John - website page
10) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Churchyard Walls and Piers to Church of St John - website page
11) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Two Monuments Approximately 5 Metres North East from West Tower of Church of St John - website page
12) Military Dorset Today: Second World War Scenes and Settings That Can Still Be Seen 50 Years On - Colin A. Pomeroy - Silver Link Publishing Ltd. - 1995 - ISBN: 978-1857940770 - page 143 - book
13) Portland Encyclopaedia - Rodney Legg - Dorset Publishing Company - 1999 - ISBN: 978-0948699566 - page 133 - book
14) Portland Picture Archive - World War 2 - Geoff Kirby - website page
15) Portland: A Topographical and Historical Gazetteer - Roy Mackenzie - 1999 - page 35 - book
16) Strolling Guides - Church Ope Cove and St Andrew's Church - website page
17) The British Newspaper Archive - various contemporary newspaper articles - website page
18) Weymouth and Portland at War - Maureen Attwooll, Denise Harrison - Dovecote Press - 1993 - ISBN: 978-1874336167 - page 93 - book
History
Construction and opening of St John's Church (1837-40)
St John's was built as a chapel-of-ease to St George's at Reforne, which had been completed in 1764 to replace Portland's original parish church, St Andrew's. By the 1830s, St George's was no longer able to comfortably accommodate the increasing population on the island, particularly the residents of Underhill, some of whom were approximately two miles away from the parish church. Furthermore, none of the 630 sittings in St George's was free and unappropriated as its cost of construction was raised in part by the freehold selling of the seats.
Owing to the deficiency in church accommodation on the island, fundraising by public subscription began in 1837 for a new church to be built in Underhill "capable of containing at least 560 sittings, of which one half will be free, and the remainder let at low rents". The scheme was initiated by an anonymous donation of £1,500 from "a source altogether unconnected with the Island" which was received on the condition that the parish raised enough additional finance to construct the new church.
A plot of land in Fortuneswell was purchased for a cost of £200 and plans for the church drawn up by Mr. Edward Mondey of Dorchester. The majority of the funding required was raised by public subscription. Grants were also received from the Incorporated and Diocesan Societies, along with a donation of £300 from Queen Victoria. A sum from the funds bequeathed by Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Haymen "for the benefit of the Church of England" was also donated (possibly the anonymous donation of £1,500 received in 1837).
The foundation stone was laid by Portland's governor, Captain Charles August Manning, on 1 July 1839. The day began with a service at St George's, followed by the Weymouth band leading a procession down to the Fortuneswell site. Children of the local Sunday School sang a hymn before the stone was laid, while afterwards Rev. D. Hogarth read a prayer and speeches were made by Captain Manning and Rev. Jenocer. The day was recorded as being "remarkably fine, which drew a great number of visitors to the island, who, as well as the inhabitants, will long remember with delight the proceedings of the day."
The builder, Mr. John Hancock of Weymouth, completed the church in 1840 for a cost of £2,115 and it was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Edward Denison, the Bishop of Salisbury, on 12 September 1840. The day was described by the Sherborne Mercury as "an unusual scene of bustle and activity" with "visitors pour[ing] into the island; and during the day the Chesil bank was studded with every species of vehicle which Weymouth and its neighbourhood could afford." Some visitors arrived to the island on-board the revenue tender Petrel, which had been made available by Captain Dobson for those journeying to witness the consecration. Over 800 people were admitted into the church on the day.
19th century use and alteration of 1876-77
From the mid-19th century, Portland saw large increases to its population as a result of the transformation of Portland Roads into a harbour of refuge, along with the various government works linked to it and the Royal Navy's increasing presence there. Marking the beginning of Portland's transformation into an urban area, Fortuneswell dramatically changed during this time. To address the increasing educational needs on the island, St John's National School was established in Fortuneswell during the 1840s. In 1857, new, larger premises, capable of accommodating up to 500 children, was opened. The school was designed by Edward Mondey and built by Messrs. White and Hansford of Portland. St George's National School was also established in Reforne to serve Tophill at the same time.
Owing to its small size, the graveyard of St John's had become full prior to 1860, resulting in the use of St George's for burials. As St John's had been used for a number of burials of sailors belonging to the Channel Fleet, the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty agreed to transform a plot of their own land near Castle Road to form a new cemetery, now known as Stranger's Cemetery. The half acre plot was consecrated by the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt. Rev. Walter Kerr Hamilton, on 28 August 1861. The majority of the new cemetery was designated for the burial of Royal Navy sailors and their families, and a smaller section for use of St John's Church.
Eight years later, on 13 July 1865, Underhill was made a separate parish from Tophill, with St John's becoming Underhill's parish church. A new organ, built by Mr. F. T. Costloe of Isleworth, was opened in the church on 9 December 1866. In late 1872, Rev. Henry Jenour, St John's first vicar, began collecting funds for the replacement of the church's tower clock, which had been added a few years after St John's was built and fallen into "such a bad state that it can only be sold for old iron". A working committee of the "New Parish Clock Fund" was formed in May 1873 and the necessary funds had been raised by early October. The new clock was installed in January-February 1874.
Enlargement and renovation work followed in 1876-77, which included the building of a chancel and organ chamber, reseating and the installation of modern heating apparatus. The plans were drawn up by Mr. George Crickmay and the work carried out by Mr. John Patten of Portland under Crickmay's supervision. Queen Victoria contributed £50 towards the approximate £1,000 cost. Work commenced on 17 July 1876 and the church re-opened for service on 6 April 1877, which saw the Archdeacon of Dorset, the Ven. T. Sanctuary, perform the morning service and Rev. Talbot Greaves of Melcombe Regis the evening service. With the completion of the new chancel, the organ, which had been renovated by Messrs. Castlar and Son of Isleworth, was transferred from the gallery.
20th century use and World War II
In 1901, a new parish hall associated with the church was built and opened at the northern end of Ventnor Road. The Portland Year Book of 1905 noted that the new facility was "proving a great boon to the work of the church". On 5 September 1920, St John's vicar, Rev. L. T. Pearson, dedicated a wall tablet in memory of the Second Lieutenant Percy Bernard Wrigley, who was killed in action in France on 25 March 1918.
Although St John's escaped major harm during World War II, two German air raids of 1940 saw much damage to the vicarage and St John's School. The vicarage suffered a hit in August, while Rev G. D. Whitaker was holding a service at the church. He returned to the residence immediately after the raid to find his family had survived by taking refuge under the stairs, but a large section of the house was left in ruins. 38 Queens Road became the reverend's temporary residence until the vicarage could be rebuilt. A month later, in September, St John's School suffered such extensive damage that it had to be permanently closed. The remains were later sold by auction in 1951 and the site went on to be developed into St John's Close.
After the Allied victory of the war, the 14th Port Regiment of the US Army, which had been involved in D-Day support operations, presented its Stars and Stripes to St John's as a memento of its close association with the people of Portland, both service and civilian. The colours are still displayed on the church wall today.
Design
St John's is built of Portland stone in the Early English style, with slate and tile roofs. It was designed to accommodate 616 worshippers, with 396 free sittings and 170 let at 2s. per year. The church is made up of a seven-bay unaisled nave, chancel, vestry and three-stage tower at the west end. The chancel and its organ chamber was built in 1876-77 and the vestry during the 20th century. As the chosen site for the building was naturally steep, a platform was cut into the hillside and the church was built on a north-west to south-east axis.
The church's original hexagonal font was gifted by Captain Manning and the communion table by Rev. H. P. Ward. The chancel of 1876-77 was built with a tesselated pavement and a rose window with semi-opaque glass. In 1969, a large Willis Organ of 1896 was purchased from St Paul's School in West Kensington for £2,000 and installed in the nave's west gallery. By the 21st century, the organ was in need of repair and was sold in 2013 to the church Our Lady of Loreto in Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta. The 1920 memorial to Lieutenant Wrigley is a brass tablet mounted on grey marble.
The Grade II listed churchyard boundary walls, gate piers, railings, and steps are made of Portland ashlar, wrought and cast-iron. The two Grade II listed headstone monuments, located about 5 metres north east from the church tower are of mid-19th century origins, and set very close together. Built of Portland Stone, both have inscriptions that are now barely decipherable, with one still recognisable with the name John Green.
In 1840, the Sherborne Mercury described the church as a "plain but elegant structure". In their list entry, Historic England recorded that the church is of a "simple dignity, reflecting minimal outlay by the Commissioners, but provides an important accent in the street".
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) A Church Near You - The Church of England - St John the Baptist, Portland - website page
2) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Churches, Buildings and Views - St. John's the Baptist Church - Paul Benyon - website page
3) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Year Book 1905 - Portland's Population - Paul Benyon - website page
4) Ancestry.com - Genealogy - Portland Year Book 1905 - The Schools on The Isle of Portland - Paul Benyon - website page
5) Do You Remember? - Portland's War - Part 1 - Sept. 1939 to Sept. 1940 - An Island Time Publication - Amusement World - book
6) Do You Remember? - Portland's War - Part 2 - Sept. 1940 to Sept. 1941 - An Island Time Publication - Amusement World - book
7) Dorset for You - Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland - PDF document
8) Exploring Portland - Fortuneswell North - Geoff Kirby - website page
9) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Church of St John - website page
10) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Churchyard Walls and Piers to Church of St John - website page
11) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - Two Monuments Approximately 5 Metres North East from West Tower of Church of St John - website page
12) Military Dorset Today: Second World War Scenes and Settings That Can Still Be Seen 50 Years On - Colin A. Pomeroy - Silver Link Publishing Ltd. - 1995 - ISBN: 978-1857940770 - page 143 - book
13) Portland Encyclopaedia - Rodney Legg - Dorset Publishing Company - 1999 - ISBN: 978-0948699566 - page 133 - book
14) Portland Picture Archive - World War 2 - Geoff Kirby - website page
15) Portland: A Topographical and Historical Gazetteer - Roy Mackenzie - 1999 - page 35 - book
16) Strolling Guides - Church Ope Cove and St Andrew's Church - website page
17) The British Newspaper Archive - various contemporary newspaper articles - website page
18) Weymouth and Portland at War - Maureen Attwooll, Denise Harrison - Dovecote Press - 1993 - ISBN: 978-1874336167 - page 93 - book
Gallery
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An early drawing of St John's Church prior to construction. This drawing is held in the collection of Lambeth Palace Library and has been reproduced with permission. (Ref No: ICBS00300)