Description of the attraction
Church of st. John the Baptist is located in Chester, Cheshire, England. It is located outside the city walls, on a cliff on the north bank of the River Dee, and is considered one of the finest examples of church architecture from the 11th to 12th centuries.
The church was founded by King thelred in 689. In 1075, Bishop Peter of Lichfield transferred his throne to Chester, making St. John Cathedral. Peter's successor moved the pulpit to Coventry, and St. John became co-cathedral. The construction and expansion of the church continued until the end of the 13th century, but during the church reforms of Henry VIII, the church fell into decay, both figuratively and literally. In 1468 the central tower collapsed, in 1572 the northwest tower partially collapsed, and in 1574 the complete collapse of this tower damaged the western aisles of the nave. Serious reconstruction of the church was undertaken in 1859–66 and 1886–87. During restoration work on the northwest tower in 1881, it collapsed again, this time damaging the north porch. It was restored in 1881–82.
The church was built of sandstone. The interiors of the church are mostly Romanesque, while the outside is dominated by the early English Gothic style. On the east side of the church, there are ruins of early church buildings.
