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Main Altar during Easter Tide

The High Altar shows the Lamb of God standing o a mount from which flow the four rivers of Paradise

South Transept Stained Glass Window depicting

 
 
 
In 1832 a meeting was called at the Royal Hotel to discuss the need for a Chapel to serve the growing town of South End (the 'South End' of Prittlewell!!).  Ten years later the Bishop of London consecrated this building, the Church of St John's the Baptist.

The Entrance to the Church, known as a narthex, was originally approached from Royal Terrance and the High Street along a gravelled drive between grass verges and great holly hedges.  Much of this land was lost with the construction of the Palace Hotel (originally the Hotel Metropole) in 1904.  The narthex is much later that the original building of 1842 - it was added as part of the major extension scheme which was completed in 1912.

Look Up when you enter the Church itself  (the nave) and see the height of the current arched ceiling.  Look left and right at the North and South Aisles, enclosed as meeting rooms in the 1970's, which were originally added in 1869.

In 1871 the population of Southend was 4589: by 1901 it was 27,299.  The Church building was expanded to meet the growing need.

Moving down the aisle the North and South Transepts, either side of the podium, come into view.  These were added, along with the raising of the roof to its current height, the lengthening of the Chancel (ahead) by 18 feet and the addition of the Chapel (recently restored) between 1903 and 1912.  During the same period Clergy and Choir vestries on the south side of the building and the narthex were also added.  With this rapid development the building took on its current Gothic shape.  A festival for the completed church was held in June 1912 and was attended by the Bishops of St Albans, Rochester and Barking, the Dean of St Paul's and even the Archbishop of Canterbury!!

The Podium upon which the nave altar rests was added as part of St John's 150th anniversary celebrations, in 1992.  At the time the Church was carpeted from altar to entrance and was re-carpeted as recently as April 2003.  At the end of that year the Greek Orthodox Church, after a long tenancy, vacated the Chapel.  Rich with colour and icons throughout that time, the Chapel has been restored in a simple, almost medieval style and remains in regular use.

Looking around the Church, the note the superb stained glass windows.  In the South Transept are windows commemorating St John the Baptist, Christ the Light of the World and Christ the Bread of Life and John St the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus.  These date from 1950.  The West window depicts "Annunciation", St John the Baptist and St Stephen and was installed in memory of a WWII pilot killed in action.  The East Window, behind the High Altar is titled "Te Deum Laudamus " and was given by James Heygate in 1907.

The Chancel  is dominated by oak: the screen is a carved beam topped by a cross and "dwarf" screen.  It dates from 1925.  The choir stalls were given by shareholders and directors of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway in 1912 to mark the completion of the railway in Southend.  The High Altar shows the Lamb of God standing on a mount from which flow the four Rivers of Paradise.  The beautiful Reredos (behind the Altar) is of alabaster with sculpture in stone.  Both were installed in 1912.

 

The Organ for the original Chapel of Ease was purchased for eighty four pounds (quite a sum in the 1840's!!) but the present instrument was constructed in the early 1920's.  It has suffered all manner of wear, tear and damage - especially after the Great Storm of 1987 - but has always been repaired, maintained and improved and remains one of the finest instruments in Southend.

 

 

 

Our High Altar

Recently refurbished Chapel

View of St John's from the High Altar

 

Completed May 2008

Our new sensory garden which people are welcome to visit and spend time in!