St. John Baptist Cirencester — Attraction in Cotswold District

The Church of St John the Baptist, in Cirencester is one of the largest parish churches in England, a stunning Cotswold stone, Gothic edifice. The oldest part of the current church is the chancel and attached chapels, built in the 12th century to replace an older Saxon church. The nave was built in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 13th and early 16th centuries. The final rebuild was in late Perpendicular Gothic style and Much of the later rebuilding and redecorating was funded by the wool industry, making it a "Wool Church". St Catherine's chapel features a medieval wall painting of St Christopher carrying the Christ child, with an elaborate damask background. It was painted over after the Dissolution of the Monasteries to be rediscovered in later restorations. Interesting features include the 14th century "wine-glass" pulpit, reinstated in the 19th century after it was found in the abbey grounds; and the Boleyn cup, a gilt silver chalice made for Anne Boleyn in 1535 and given to the church by her daughter Queen Elizabeth I on a visit to the Cotswolds. Victorian restorations by George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s saw the remains interred beneath the nave relocated to the...

I guess it all revolves around what you feel a church is about and what you expect when you visit one such as St John Baptist which had been a central part of a town's life for so long.

Much to like: the "history in stone, glass etc", a place of prayer and worship, the lovely history at the back of the church with the forward looking sense of mission, it's place in the community with open doors to all.

Not sure about the difficulty of finding a quiet place to pray, perhaps being too open to the world so as to lose its distinctive purpose(???), Sorry to see the Trinity Chapel, referenced so often in the Corinium Museum, rendered as a play area with its liturgical and historical aspects suppressed.

In summary, my wife would put it this way:, " Why do you need to minimise its role in the Christian life of Cirencester? It is not just a building but the centre of Christianity...

Located at market place in Cirencester town center. Cirencester Parish Church of John Baptist is, one of the largest parish churches in country.

Sometimes you confused with the former Cirencester Abbey, which was situated nearby. As you walk round this historic "wool" church, hope that you will notice many interesting features.

Looks other churches, Cirencester Parish Church was built to the glory of go as place of prayer and worship. there has been a church here since the early years of the Christian era. Although full of history, the church is not a museum, but remains a lively place of daily worship and prayer as well as a center of Christian ministry.

For 400 years the church was in the care of the nearby Abbey and its Augustinian order. Though the Abbey is no longer here, the prayer of St....