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New Church of St. John the Evangelist, At Lowestoft

The inhabitants of the populous new town and favourite watering-place of Lowestoft had, for a considerable time, experienced the want of church accommodation; and while new residences and buildings connected with commerce and the trade of the port arose on every side, the first structure raised for ecclesiatical purposes proved altogether insufficient. But, the good work, once commenced, has been completed with extraordinary celerity. The first stone of the new church was laid in July last year; and on the 15th instant the beautiful edifice was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester, who attended in consequence of the continued illness of the Bishop of Norwich. The service was attended by a large number of the clergy of the neighbourhood, and the gentry, visitors, and lay inhabitants of Lowestoft. After the sermon, preached by the Bishop of Winchester, a collection was made; and at the dejeuner wich followed Mr. Peto presented £50 to be applied towards the furnishing of the church.

The church is in the Geometical Decorated, or Second Pointed style; and consists of a nave, north and south transepts, south aisles, chancel, and a tower and spire situtuated on the south-east corner. There are three entrances, one at each of the transepts and one under a porch at the south-west end of the nave. The Church is lighted by 17 windows, glazed with catherdral glass, of a greenish tint. The east window of the aisles is of stained glass, presented by Messrs. Hartley, of Sunderland. There are in the Church and towers 30 windows, all of different designs. The tower has on two sides clock faces under projecting canopy of stone, supported on elaborately moulded corbels; there are also angle-buttresses; and a lofty broached spire is in progress.

The exterior materials consist of Kentish rag-facing, with Caen stone dressings, and the contrast has a charming effect. The roofs are slated with green-grey Welsh rags, finished with a bold ornamental earthenware ridge cresting; and the gable of the nave, chancel and south transepts are finished with stone crosses.

Interiorly, the chancel arch is elaborately moulded, part of the mouldings being continued down the jamb. All the roofs are open-timbered, that over the nave being formed of arched ribs with crossed braces.

The pulpit is of stone and attached to the north-east corner of the nave, and entered from the vestry by a stone staircase, with a stone canopy gathered over the angle, and having an embattled cornice enriched with ball-flowers and paterae; the arch of the doorway underneath the canopy has hoodmould terminated by carved heads. The pulpit itself is hexagonal on plan having a highly-moulded base with clustered columns in the middle of each face of the hexagon, with deeply-cut and moulded foliated ogee arches springing over and meeting at the angles. The whole is finished with a crenellated and enriched cornice.

The font, placed under the west-window, has the stem composed of two squares piercing each other and forming thus the eight angles of the base and bowl.

Perhaps the most remarkable features, although the least noticed, is the hagioscope, which is pierced through the pier of the north trancept and chancel through the pier of the north trancept and chancel arches, and enables most of the congregation to see both pulpit and reading desk. It is ornamental in character and useful in purpose. Hagioscopres were originally used for the purpose of enabling the attendant in the nave to see the elevation of the Host at the alter by the priest, and then to ring the sance-bell; and were never used for any other purpose. The present is believed to be the only modern example if its adaption to a useful object.

The chancel is paved with Peake's terro-metallic tiles (blue and red) in ornamental patterns. The Church will contain 750 sittings, of which its number is proposed to make 300 free.

The total interior length of the nave and chancel is 110 feet and 6 inches, and the height of the tower ad spire will be 135 feet.

The builders of this fine Church are Messrs. Lucas and the architect is Mr. J. L. Clemence, of Lowestoft. The amount raised is £5,500; but we understand that £2,000 more is required to complete the edifice as designed.

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Caption: New Church of St. John the Evangelist, at Lowestoft