History

S. John the Baptist on Timberhill in Norwich is one of the smaller medieval churches in the city but it is a building of great quality. Although The 'long and short' work in the east wall indicates a date very soon after the Norman Conquest, the present church, which was begun in 1420, replaced a previous building from 1303. S. John's Timberhill is one of five churches in the city which were dedicated to S. John The Baptist, the other four being S. John's Roman Catholic Cathedral, S. John Maddermarket, the old Roman Catholic Church in the centre of the city now the Maddermarket Theatre, and the one time Anglican church of S. John the Baptist de Sepulchre, which is now dedicated to S. John the Theologian and is a Russian Orthodox church.

S. John's featured in the Catholic and ritualistic revival in the Church of England, under the great Fr Ram and Fr Roxby, who like other famous Anglo-Catholic clergy in our land had to cope with deep prejudice and even riots. Fr Ram became Vicar in 1871 and over the next 39 years worked to repair and beautify the church which had fallen into dilapidation. He wished to tranform the church into his vision of what a medieval church should look like. He removed the pews, the west-end gallery, the Ten Commandment boards, the reading desk and the pulpit. He then put a beam across the chancel-arch, ostensibly to tie the walls together. But it was clear from the start that he meant to put a Cross and figures on it, so restoring the Rood, which had existed in earlier days. He found a rood screen that was no longer wanted in Horstead Church and installed it in S. John's. And 3 fine figures, Our Lord, Our Lady and S. John the Beloved Disciple, carved by Zwuik in Oberamagau, were placed on the beam above the screen. Fr Ram was instructed by the Bishop, John Pelham, and the Chancellor that the Screen and the Figures were illegal and should be removed. But Fr Ram was adamant that they stayed: and stayed they did!

S. John's Church was closed for some years about 35 years ago, when it was generally agreed that it was surplus to needs. (Norwich City had 53 medieval church buildings in the 15th century and over 30 now - more than any other city north of The Alps!) But when the parish church of S. Peter Parmentergate was found to be in need of considerable structural rebuilding because of an unsafe tower, it was agreed that it should be abandoned, and S. John's should be reopened.

And so in 1980, under Fr Michael McLean's inspired leadership, S. John's was reopened, reordered and made comfortable and conducive to modern Catholic worship, much of the work being undertaken by members of the congregation. The Rood Screen was removed and the Chancel and Sanctuary opened up, but the rood beam with its figures was kept. WC facilities and a kitchen were added, and the church was equipped for providing the ways and means of presenting the great liturgies of the Christian Church in an attractive, modern, yet traditional way.

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History