Church

St John the Evangelist, Boscombe

St John the Evangelist, Boscombe

St John the Evangelist on Christchurch Road, Boscombe, is a Grade II* Late Victorian town church of 1893–95 by John Oldrid Scott and Charles Thomas Miles, in the Diocese of Winchester.

Location
Boscombe, Dorset
Country
England
County
Dorset
City / town
Boscombe
Address
Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Dorset, BH1 4AD
Postcode
BH1 4AD
Built
1893–95; north-west porch-tower 1919–20
Architect
John Oldrid Scott and Charles Thomas Miles
Denomination
Church of England
Dedication
John the Evangelist
Diocese
Winchester
Parish
Bournemouth St John the Evangelist, Boscombe
Grade
II*
Style
Late Victorian Decorated
Materials
Flint with Castle Cary stone banding and Bath stone dressings; red tiled roofs
Grid reference
SZ 110 917
Opening hours
Sorry, there are no regular opening times for this church.
Access
Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby

Overview

A parish of St John was formed in 1890 from St Clement; a temporary church opened in 1891. The present church, built in 1893–95 by J. Oldrid Scott with the local architect C. T. Miles, cost £16,172. Contractors were Jenkins & Sons of Christchurch. The partnership of Scott and Miles began here. Materials are flint with Castle Cary stone banding and Bath stone dressings under red tiled roofs, in a rich Decorated style with a shingled flèche. A north-west porch-tower of 1919–20, a First World War memorial, stands on the site of an intended tower.

The interior is lined with cream ashlar. Nave arcades have quatrefoil columns of pink Dumfries stone banded with Blue Lias and foliage capitals. Low-church liturgical planning is expressed by the absence of a chancel screen and by steps opening towards the nave. Fittings include a pulpit by Harry Hems of Exeter and glass by Percy Bacon, Hugh Powell and, reportedly, Caroline Townshend (1934). The west end was reordered in 1989–90 by Maurice Taylor.

Further Information