---
title: "St John the Baptist, Cold Overton"
description: "Located in Cold Overton, Leicestershire. Built 13th–15th century; restored 1889. Diocese of Leicester. Grade I. Early English and Decorated Gothic style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Leicestershire","Cold Overton","Grade I","Medieval Wall Paintings","J. T. Micklethwaite"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-john-baptist-cold-overton"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T01:30:52.780Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T20:34:01.711Z"
location: "Cold Overton, Leicestershire"
country: "England"
county: "Leicestershire"
town: "Cold Overton"
address: "Main Street, Cold Overton, Leicestershire, LE15 7QA"
postcode: "LE15 7QA"
built: "13th–15th century; restored 1889"
architect: "J. T. Micklethwaite (1889 restoration)"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["John the Baptist"]
diocese: "Leicester"
grade: "I"
style: "Early English and Decorated Gothic"
materials: "Coursed and squared ironstone and limestone rubble and ashlar, with ashlar dressings; lead and Swithland slate roofs"
website: "https://www.cold-overton.co.uk/"
openingHours: "The church is open daily during daylight hours."
parish: "Cold Overton (Whatborough Parishes)"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075150"
gridReference: "SK 809 100"
accessNotes: "Accessible toilets nearby. Level access to the main areas"
---

# St John the Baptist, Cold Overton

St John the Baptist is a Grade I parish church on Main Street, Cold Overton, Leicestershire, close to the Rutland border, in the Diocese of Leicester and the Whatborough group of parishes.

## Overview

Historic England records a parish church of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and about 1800, restored by J. T. Micklethwaite in 1889. Materials are coursed and squared ironstone and limestone rubble and ashlar with ashlar dressings, and lead and Swithland slate roofs. The plan comprises a west tower with spire, nave with clerestory, north aisle, chancel, south aisle and south porch. The tower is of two stages with clasping buttresses, a crenellated parapet and a recessed octagonal spire with two tiers of gabled lucarnes. The east window is a restored fourteenth-century reticulated triple lancet.

A church is recorded at Cold Overton in Domesday Book (1086). The south door, south aisle walls and their paintings are among the earliest fabric. Wikipedia and conservation reports note Early English arcade capitals carved with people, animals and natural motifs, and medieval wall paintings on the south and east walls including St Catherine with her wheel, the Assumption, the Nativity, the Funeral of the Virgin and St John the Baptist. The paintings were conserved in 2018. The church is open daily in daylight hours.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1075150](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075150)
- [Cold Overton village](https://www.cold-overton.co.uk/)