For eight hundred years this church has catered for, and nurtured, the spiritual needs and development of the inhabitants of Stanton St. John. Just as building styles have changed over this period, so has the manner of worship, and some of these changes can be traced in the fabric and furniture of the church. If, like Thomas Hearne who visited it in 1716, you are looking for monuments then you too may consider that there is 'nothing of antiquity' in it, but the finest wall monuments have been erected since Hearne's visit, and Pevsner considers that the splendid Chancel of about 1300 is one of the finest examples in the county of the transition from Early English to Decorated, and that the design of the East Window may be unique.
There has certainly been a church on this spot since the 11th century. The earliest part of the present church, the north arcade, dates from about 1200. The Chancel was built about a hundred years later and the Aisles most likely in the late 14th century, though with the exception of one window in the north-west, new windows were given to the North Aisle in the 15th century. The Tower was also built in that period, c 1450.
From late medieval times until last century little alteration seems to have been made to the structure, and such restoration as it underwent appears to have been of a limited and conservative kind. Repairs to the Chancel were undertaken in 1809 and others between 1827-8. From the description given in Parker the Church was not in a good condition in the 1840's and the very extensive restoration took place from 1867 to 1870 under the leadership and inspiration of the Rector, the Rev. John Murray Holland.
At a cost of over £500 the Chancel was first restored, the eastern wall being rebuilt from its foundations and then at a cost almost twice as great, the body of the church was restored. Thanks to Holland the work was carried out with scholarly care which preserved better than much contemporary restoration work of the period, the real spirit of the medieval building. Holland had hoped that after this restoration 'no great outlay will be required for centuries'. This proved too great a hope to realise. A heating system was installed in 1914, one of many attempts to keep the congregation warm and electric light installed in 1936. But, in the 1950's expensive work, especially on the roofs, needed to be undertaken. In the 1970's new flooring was laid in the North Aisle and in the Nave, the re- leading and re-setting of windows in the North Aisle and the Tower, the repair of the battlements, and the re-pointing of the Tower were undertaken.
The work of maintaining the fabric continues. Every few years repointing and repairs to stonework or roof are needed to keep the building weather-tight and usable.
In 1976 The Pilgrim Trust commissioned the York Glaziers to reset three windows in the Chancel containing medieval glass. The windows were removed, the glass treated by modern techniques and reset and replaced early in 1977. The work included the incorporation of a roundel of the mid- 14th century in the west window on the south side. It had previously been set high up in the Tower where it could not readily be appreciated.
In 2000AD The church commissioned a new engraved window for the south aisle chapel from Miss Sally Scott to celebrate the millennium.
There has certainly been a church on this spot since the 11th century. The earliest part of the present church, the north arcade, dates from about 1200. The Chancel was built about a hundred years later and the Aisles most likely in the late 14th century, though with the exception of one window in the north-west, new windows were given to the North Aisle in the 15th century. The Tower was also built in that period, c 1450.
From late medieval times until last century little alteration seems to have been made to the structure, and such restoration as it underwent appears to have been of a limited and conservative kind. Repairs to the Chancel were undertaken in 1809 and others between 1827-8. From the description given in Parker the Church was not in a good condition in the 1840's and the very extensive restoration took place from 1867 to 1870 under the leadership and inspiration of the Rector, the Rev. John Murray Holland.
At a cost of over £500 the Chancel was first restored, the eastern wall being rebuilt from its foundations and then at a cost almost twice as great, the body of the church was restored. Thanks to Holland the work was carried out with scholarly care which preserved better than much contemporary restoration work of the period, the real spirit of the medieval building. Holland had hoped that after this restoration 'no great outlay will be required for centuries'. This proved too great a hope to realise. A heating system was installed in 1914, one of many attempts to keep the congregation warm and electric light installed in 1936. But, in the 1950's expensive work, especially on the roofs, needed to be undertaken. In the 1970's new flooring was laid in the North Aisle and in the Nave, the re- leading and re-setting of windows in the North Aisle and the Tower, the repair of the battlements, and the re-pointing of the Tower were undertaken.
The work of maintaining the fabric continues. Every few years repointing and repairs to stonework or roof are needed to keep the building weather-tight and usable.
In 1976 The Pilgrim Trust commissioned the York Glaziers to reset three windows in the Chancel containing medieval glass. The windows were removed, the glass treated by modern techniques and reset and replaced early in 1977. The work included the incorporation of a roundel of the mid- 14th century in the west window on the south side. It had previously been set high up in the Tower where it could not readily be appreciated.
In 2000AD The church commissioned a new engraved window for the south aisle chapel from Miss Sally Scott to celebrate the millennium.