St John the Baptist Church, Newcastle upon Tyne

St John the Baptist Church stands at the corner of Grainger Street and Westgate Road in Newcastle upon Tyne. Dating back to the 13th century, it is one of the city’s oldest buildings and a Grade I listed structure. The church is modest in size, with a low square tower topped by small pinnacles and flattened arched windows. Modern buildings now surround it on three sides, yet it retains a quiet presence. A stone in the south transept window honours Robert Rhodes, a benefactor who helped build St Nicholas’ Cathedral’s steeple. The original stone was removed in 1861 and is now kept in the castle. Inside, the church holds fine examples of local craftsmanship. The 15th-century font cover and the Jacobean pulpit show skilled woodwork from the period. The Lady Chapel contains medieval glass with the earliest known depiction of Newcastle’s coat of arms. An opening in the wall once allowed an anchorite, who lived above the sacristy, to watch services. The rood and reredos were designed by Sir Charles Nicholson, adding to the church’s artistic heritage. The graveyard holds a few remaining gravestones, including those of Solomon and Sarah Hodgson, owners of the Newcastle Chronicle. Ralph Waters, a local artist, is also buried there, as is the actor and poet John Cunningham. A damaged table monument lies near the east window, its pillars half buried in the earth. Despite changes around it, the church remains a place where history is still visible in stone and glass.