St John the Evangelist's Church, Perry Barr

St John the Evangelist's Church in Perry Barr is a Grade II listed Church of England parish church in the north of Birmingham. Built in the early 1830s as a chapel for a landed estate, it is one of the older surviving buildings in this part of the city and a quiet stop for anyone interested in English church architecture.

What is St John the Evangelist's Church in Perry Barr?

It is an active Anglican parish church in the Perry Barr district of Birmingham. The building dates from 1831–33 and carries Grade II listed status, which means it is protected for its special architectural and historic interest. Its original purpose was practical: it served the people who worked on the nearby Perry Hall estate.

Who built it and when?

The church was funded by John Gough, the owner of the Perry Hall estate. The Gothic design was the work of Robert Studholme, a stonemason from Sutton Coldfield. Construction ran from 1831 to 1833, and the Bishop of Lichfield consecrated the church on 6 August 1833.

A separate ecclesiastical parish of St John was created in 1862, taken out of the parish of St Mary's, Handsworth. From then on the former estate chapel served its own parish community.

What does the church look like?

In its first form the church was a simple rectangular hall with a gallery at the west end and a tower at the west front. Historic England's listing describes the style as Commissioners' Gothic, a cheap and plain version of Gothic revival typical of the period. The parish's own history takes a slightly different view and calls it a good example of "pre-architectural gothick", a lighter and more decorative early phase of the revival.

The exterior is built of red sandstone, while the interior is plastered and painted. The nave windows are simple two-light openings with diamond-pane glazing in Georgian-style ironwork. On the north side you can spot the carved emblem of the Gough family, a reminder of the church's origins as a private estate chapel.

How was the building changed later?

The church was extended in the late Victorian period. In 1888 the architect Julius Alfred Chatwin added a raised chancel, an organ chamber on the north side and vestries on the south side. In 1894 he added transepts. These additions gave the building its present cruciform plan.

Are the gates also listed?

Yes. The red brick gate piers and the original cast-iron Gothic gates date from 1831 and are listed separately. The ironwork uses trefoil shapes and intersecting arch patterns, which echo the Gothic style of the church itself. They are worth a look before you step inside.

Visiting tips

• The church is in Perry Barr, in the north of Birmingham, and is an active place of worship, so respect services and quiet hours.
• Check the parish's own website for opening times and events, as access outside services can vary.
• Look at the gates, the north wall with the Gough emblem and the contrast between the early hall-style nave and the Victorian east end.

Frequently asked questions

Is St John the Evangelist's Church listed? Yes, it is Grade II listed, and its gates and gate piers have their own separate listing.

When was the church consecrated? On 6 August 1833, by the Bishop of Lichfield.

Who designed it? Robert Studholme, a stonemason from Sutton Coldfield. Later extensions came from Julius Alfred Chatwin in 1888 and 1894.

Why was it built? John Gough, owner of the Perry Hall estate, funded it as a chapel for the people working on his estate.