Heritage Open Days @ St John the Baptist Church (Peterborough)

About

No booking required.

Peterborough Parish Church (named after St John the Baptist and so often referred to simply as St John’s) is the historic parish church for Peterborough. It is a Grade I listed building and designated as a Major Parish Church.
 

St John’s is situated in a prominent position in the heart of Peterborough’s Cathedral Square and is an iconic feature of the city centre. It has been a living heritage of faith serving the people of the city since 1407. The parish served by St John’s straddles the railway line and Bourges Boulevard.

Today St John’s is home to a vibrant church community and is in the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough. It is a popular venue for concerts, exhibitions and talks, used by a variety of groups. All are welcome and we aim to cater for the needs of families at our services.

The First Parish Church (11th century)
Peterborough has had a parish church since the 11th century. Shortly after the Norman Conquest, the monks of Peterborough established a parish church on land to the east of their abbey (now the site of Bishop Creighton Academy). The first recorded Vicar was William of Waterford, instituted by the Bishop of Lincoln in 1229 (Hugh of Wells). Floods in this area made accessing the church difficult. After the market was established outside the western gate of the abbey the locus of the town moved to this side of the town. The people petitioned for the church to be moved and so it was, stone by stone.

The Second Church (early 15th century)
The present building was dedicated by Abbot Genge on 26th June 1407 and dedicated to St John the Baptist. It was built of materials from the old church and the nave of the Chapel of St Thomas Becket, near the west gate.