Listed Building record MDR12627 - St John the Baptist's Chapel, St John's Road, Matlock Town

St John the Baptist's Chapel, St John's Road, Matlock Town, built in 1897. #In 1897 Mrs Louisa Sophia Harris, a devout Anglo-Catholic, commissioned Guy Dawber to design for her a private place of worship. The dedication of the chapel to St John the Baptist was probably suggested by the spring of water issuing from the hillside just below. Dawber's ambition was to create the impression of a chapel springing from the living rock of the hillside. Consequently, towards the road the foundations of the chapel form a cliff face built of very large limestone blocks so as to disguise the artificial nature of the structure. The plan of the chapel is simple, with no formal distinction between nave and chancel. There is a bell turret, a projecting oriel window and a shingle-roofed cloister or verandah on the west and north sides. Internally the limestone gives way to wall surfaces of mellow red brick. Doors, pulpit, pews and choir stalls are all in oak and inspired by the organic forms and flowing decoration of the Art Nouveau style, then at its height. St John's was never consecrated. After the death of Mrs Harris in 1908 the chapel served the local community but was eventually abandoned and subsequently vandalised. However, it was taken over by the Friends of Friendless Churches and repaired. It is now listed Grade II*.' (2) 'Sir Guy Dawber admitted that his own work was unspectacular. He was a very typical Edwardian country house architect, though St John's Chapel despite it not being a dwelling, still is typical of the architect. It is an early work for Dawber (1897) which explains some of the free detailing of the furniture inside. Its details are quiet, though the interior is simething of a surprise. It is lined with a timber panelled dado and exposed brickwork walls. The roof is plastered and has Arts and Crafts style fibrous plaster mouldings. Another Arts and Crafts touch is the pulpit.' (3) From the National Heritage List for England: 'In the entry for:- ST JOHN'S ROAD SK 25 NE (off Cliff Road) 6/1A Chapel of St John the Baptist II The entry shall be amended to read:- SK 2959 MATLOCK ST JOHN'S ROAD (off Cliff Road) Matlock Bath 4/111 Chapel of St John the Baptist, supporting retaining. wall and attached boundary walls II* Chapel supporting retaining wall and attached boundary walls and integral trough. 1897, by E. Guy Dawber, for Mrs Louisa Sophia Harris. Rubble carboniferous limestone, of massive construction in lower part of the retaining wall, with ashlar gritstone dressings. Stone slates, laid to diminishing courses, replaced in concrete tiles to south slope, and with a single moulded ashlar coped gable to the east with kneelers and finals. Single cell chapel, with small square bell turret, beneath lead-covered pyramidal roof, projecting from south elevation. West entrance front has central pointed-arched doorway in moulded ashlar surround, with a wooden gabled porch which continues to the north and down the north side of the chapel as a lean-to covered walk. Above the porch, a 3-light chamfered million window above in the gable, a tiny Keyhole lancet. The west facade has two 4 light chamfered mullion windows, each light with a roundhead, then a flat buttress which rises to the bell turret. Beyond this, an oriel window with 4 chamfered mullioned lights. The east gable has a 4 light reticulated tracery pointed arched window. The interior contains many fine Arts and Craft fittings, including a perpendicular style rood screen by E Guy Dawbar, decorated ceiling plaster work by George Bankart, a painted wooden altar piece by John Cooke, and stained glass in the east window by Louis Davis. The remainder of the fittings include pulpit, pews and choir stalls, probably also by Dawbar, and pendant light fittings. The chapel, which was never consecrated is the only church designed by Dawber. The chapel stands upon a massive retaining wall, itself constructed of massive blocks of limestone, laid roughly to courses. The wall extends 45 metres to the west, and incorporates a stone water trough, and 10 metres to the east, it forms a boundary wall which encloses the approach to the chapel. ------------------------------------ SK 25 NE ST JOHN'S ROAD 6/1A (OFF CLIFF ROAD) Chapel of St John the Baptist II Chapel,1897 designed by E Guy Dawber. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. Graduated slate roof with a single moulded ashlar coped gable to the east with kneelers and finials. Single cell chapel with small square bell turret projecting from north facade. West entrance front has central pointed arched doorway in moulded ashlar surround, with wooden gabled porch which continues to the left and down the side of the chapel as a lean-to covered walk. Above the porch a 3 light chamfered mullion window,above in the gable a tiny key-hole lancet. The west facade has 2,4- light chamfered mullion windows, each light with a round head then a flat buttress which rises to the bell turret and beyond an oriel window with 4 chamfered mullioned lights. The east front has a 4 light reticulated tracery pointed arched window. The interior contains many fine Arts and Crafts fittings,a Perpendicular style rood scream by E Guy Dawber,plaster ceiling by George Bankart, painted wooden altar piece by John Cooke. The remainder of the fittings include pulpit pews and choir stalls are probably also by Dawber. ------------------------------------------- 1. ST JOHN'S ROAD 1390 MATLOCK BATH Chapel of St John the Baptist SK 2959 4/111 C 2. 1897. Architect, Sir Guy Dawber. Early English Gothic style in the manner of Bodley. Of uncoursed stone rubble with ashlar dressings, surmounting, and flanked by, massive retaining walls. Nave, chancel, spire, belleote and west loggia. In a picturesque set-ring on the side of the cliff. Listing NGR: SK2942659416.' (3)