Church of St John the Baptist, Outwood explained

Church of St John the Baptist, Outwood
Pushpin Map:	Surrey
Map Caption:	Location in Surrey
Denomination:	Church of England
Diocese:	Anglican Diocese of Southwark
Parish:	Outwood
Bells:	4
Bells Hung:	full circle
Architect:	William Burges W.P. Manning
Architectural Type:	Church
Style:	Plain lancet/Anglo-Norman (revival), Grade II listed
Dedicated Date:	1869
Bishop:	Bishop of Southwark
Auxiliary Bishop:	Bishop of Croydon
Archdeacon:	Archdeacon of Reigate
Dean:	Dean of Tandridge
Vicar:	Rev. Nicholas Calver
Capacity:	c.150
Status:	Parish Church
Location:	Brickfield Road, Outwood, Surrey
Country:	England
Coordinates:	51.1982°N -0.1128°W
Website:	http://www.windmillchurches.co.uk

The Church of St John the Baptist, Outwood, is the parish church of Outwood, Surrey, England.

Clergy and style of worship

Part of the Diocese of Southwark, the style of worship is traditional and its Christmas Eve services are an afternoon crib service with candles and midnight mass. This is preceded on a preceding Sunday by a carol service. The clergy serve the parishes Burstow and Horne as one benefice.^[1]

Building, setting and amenities

ArchitectureThe early medieval style building was built in 1869 and designed by William Burges. Its tower of 1876 is by W. P. Manning featuring a half-octagonal projection (bastion) beside one of its two buttresses and near the modest porch. The interior has a simple brick design, whilst the exterior is of knapped stone with a stuccoed tower over brick. The church is a Grade II listed building. J. Mordaunt Crook describes it as "outspoken to the point of bluntness", and Nairn comments that it is "honest, but not very good".

SettingThe church is bounded on three sides by land owned by the National Trust: a farm, common meadow and dense woodland. The church has a vestry housing robes for choir and clergy. The church has a maintained graveyard surrounding.

AmenitiesThe exterior of the church is in local Reigate Stone and the interior is brick with timbered beams and an acorn-shaped strip wood ceiling. The interior brick finish is intricate pointing, a showcase of Victorian workmanship. The building is heated and supplied with electricity.

Parish

See also: Outwood, Surrey. Outwood is a parish of the Church of England which overlaps its civil parish. This area's nearest town is Horley and has a high proportion of farms and cottages on radiating rural roads making it somewhat dispersed. The church is from the nucleus of the village and faces a junction with the last house of a road leading directly to the village.

The current parish was formed on 19 August 1870 from parts of five medieval parishes; Burstow, Blechingley, Horley, Horne, and Nutfield, surrounding villages, a close cluster being Burstow (its most populous part being the mainly late 20th century village Smallfield) and Horne.^[2]

Other

Bell ringing is practised on Monday evenings.^[3]

See also

• Diocese of Southwark
• List of places of worship in Tandridge (district)

References

• Book: Crook, J. Mordaunt . William Burges and the High Victorian Dream. 1981a . John Murray. 978-0-7195-3822-3 .
• Book: Cherry. Bridget. Nairn. Ian. Nikolaus. Pevsner . The Buildings Of England: Surrey . 1987 . Penguin . 0-14-071021-3 . .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Outwood, St John the Baptist - South Nutfield with Outwood - Godstone Deanery - The Diocese of Southwark . Southwark.anglican.org . 15 March 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040952/http://www.southwark.anglican.org/parishes/244ep2 . 6 January 2014 . dmy-all .
2. Web site: Parishes: Burstow . H.E. Malden . Institute of Historical Research . 1911 . A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 . 5 January 2014 .
3. http://www.windmillchurches.co.uk/outwood/st-johns-bells/ "St John's Bells"