St John the Baptist, Eastnor
St John the Baptist, Eastnor
St John the Baptist is a Grade I parish church on Upper Road, Eastnor, Herefordshire, in the Diocese of Hereford, rebuilt for the most part in 1851–52 by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
- Location
- Eastnor, Herefordshire
- Country
- England
- County
- Herefordshire
- City / town
- Eastnor
- Address
- Upper Road, Eastnor, Herefordshire, HR8 1RA
- Postcode
- HR8 1RA
- Built
- C12 origins; mostly rebuilt 1851–52
- Architect
- Sir George Gilbert Scott
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- John the Baptist
- Diocese
- Hereford
- Parish
- Eastnor
- Grade
- I
- Style
- Gothic Revival
- Materials
- Ashlar, rubble and coursed squared rubble to the tower; plain tiled roofs
- Grid reference
- SO 731 372
- Opening hours
- Open daily during daylight hours.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas. Ramp or level access available on request
Overview
Historic England dates the church to the twelfth century, altered in the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, with the tower remodelled in the fourteenth. The listing records a restoration and near-complete rebuild in 1852 by Scott: west tower, nave and south porch, north aisle and organ space, north (Somers) chapel and chancel. The parish history states that, apart from the tower, the church was taken down in 1851–52 and only a small portion of the old stonework could be reused. Scott’s work cost £1,506 0s 3d; Historic England calls it a high-quality but little-known masterpiece.
The fabric is ashlar and rubble, with coursed squared rubble to the three-stage west tower, and plain tiled roofs. The listing notes a restored south doorway with trumpet-scallop capitals, Geometric windows, and chancel windows rich in ballflower. Interior fittings include a font and pulpit of 1852, an 1896 reredos incorporating carved work from Siena, Kempe glass in the east window, and monuments to the Cocks and Somers families, including a chest by Scott to the first Earl Somers and an effigy by Sir J. E. Boehm to the third Earl. Listing NGR is SO 73134 37226.