Stourbridge Group – Evening Visit to Kates Hill Church (St John’s)

Evening Visit to Kates Hill Church (St John’s)

St. John’s Church was built at the same time (1838-1840) as its sister church, St. James’s at Eve Hill. The two churches were constructed to a similar design by William Bourne and both built by John Holland. It was dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.

St. John’s Church is built of courses of ironstone rubble with Gornal sandstone dressings and has a slate roof. It has a nave with north and south aisles and galleries lit by lancet windows, a chancel, a vestry, a west tower and an organ chamber. There are staircases to the galleries on either side of the tower, which originally had a parapet with battlements, which was later replaced by a plain parapet.

Substantial additions and alterations were made by Davies and Middleton in 1872 to 73 including the arcade of stone piers supporting the clerestory. In 1888 stained glass was added to the east window along with the lateral lancets and the wrought iron screen. In 1905, carved figures of the evangelists were added, along with the font.

The lichgate was built in 1920 and the parish hall was built in 1932.

William Perry, known as ‘The Tipton Slasher’ is buried in the churchyard, as is Mary Ann Mason, murdered by 1858 by Joseph Meadows, who was hanged in Worcester jail. There are also eleven (see below) commonwealth graves from the First World War and graves of several significant figures from the Black Country’s past.

The church greatly benefited from an increase in the local population due to the large number of council houses that were built for workers employed in local industries and their families.