Church

St John the Baptist, Cocayne Hatley

St John the Baptist, Cockayne Hatley

The Church of St John the Baptist at Cockayne Hatley, Central Bedfordshire, is a Grade I medieval parish church in the Diocese of St Albans, known for imported Flemish woodwork.

Location
Cocayne Hatley, Bedfordshire
Country
England
County
Bedfordshire
City / town
Cocayne Hatley
Address
Cocayne Hatley, Bedfordshire, SG19 2EA
Postcode
SG19 2EA
Built
C13–C15; restored 1823–30
Denomination
Church of England
Dedication
John the Baptist
Diocese
St Albans
Parish
Cockayne Hatley
Grade
I
Style
Medieval parish church
Materials
Rubble of cobbles and ironstone with ashlar dressings; embattled parapets
Grid reference
TL 256 497
Opening hours
A key may be obtained on application by email.
Access
Accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Ramp or level access available on request

Overview

Historic England records a parish church of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, restored 1823–30, of rubble walls mixing cobbles and ironstone with ashlar dressings and embattled parapets throughout. The plan is chancel, nave, north and south aisles and a four-stage west tower with an octagonal north-east stair turret. The north arcade is later thirteenth century with round columns; the south is fourteenth century with octagonal columns. A fifteenth-century clerestory lights the nave. The listing notes mainly Flemish fittings brought into the church. Listed Grade I on 31 October 1966 (NHLE 1114107). A separate Grade II listing covers the grave monument to the poet W. E. Henley in the churchyard.

The civil parish is Wrestlingworth and Cockayne Hatley. The ecclesiastical parish is Cockayne Hatley.

Further Information