St John the Baptist's Church, Stamford

St John the Baptist’s Church stands in the centre of Stamford, a town in Lincolnshire. Built mainly in the 15th century, it replaced an earlier 12th-century church and reflects the town’s wealth from wool and cloth. The tower, with its five stages and embattled parapet, was completed before the 15th century and survived the War of the Roses unharmed. Local architect Edward Browning restored the interior in the 19th century, removing earlier painted decoration and adding new fittings. Later repairs followed subsidence caused by collapsed burial vaults beneath the north arcade. Since 2003 the church has been redundant and cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. The church is built in limestone ashlar with lead roofs and follows the Perpendicular style. Its plan includes a nave with aisles, a clerestory, a chancel with chapels, and a west tower integrated into the north aisle. The south porch is richly decorated with pinnacles and gargoyles. Inside, only fragments of the 12th century remain, but the nave roof is finely carved with angels on the bosses. The octagonal font has a 17th-century cover topped by a spired finial, and there are piscinae in both the chancel and south aisle. Visitors find 15th-century windows throughout the building, some with glass from 1451 cleaned in 1974. The east and west windows date from 1856 and were designed by Francis Wilson Oliphant. The organ, built in 1870 and expanded in 1872, was restored in 1974. Four bells hang in the tower, the oldest from 1550, with others cast in 1561 and 1814. The nave benches and choir stalls were made by Browning during his restorations.