A labour of love
Meet Claire and Cameron Gilchrist-Dick along with their family, they are proud owners of St John’s at Barlaston Hall, an historic 12th-century church, deconsecrated over 30 years ago, which unfortunately fell into disrepair until the family recently decided to bring it back to life.
Untouched and unloved for several years, Claire and Cam have been busy with the renovation of this listed building which has included repairs to the floors, cleaning all the internal and external brickwork, repairs and renovation of the stunning stained glass windows, additionally the commissioning of a collection of beautiful new pews in keeping with the building.
It really has been a labour of love!
The renovations for the old church building are in readiness to host non-religious weddings, civil ceremonies, naming ceremonies and renewal of vows. Claire and Cam along with Events Director Rebecca, believe this gives people a unique opportunity to have their non-religious ceremony in such an old atmospheric church building. A gift for those people who love the idea of a church wedding but wish to have a civil ceremony.
Meet the Team
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Claire
Owner
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Rebecca
Events Director
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Cameron
Owner
History of St John’s
The old Church of St. John the Baptist is situated on the grounds of the Barlaston Estate.
The earliest part of the church is the tower, dating from the twelfth century; the remainder of the church was rebuilt in 1888.
Neville Malkin 23rd July 1975 wrote:
‘Just south of the city (Stoke-on-Trent) is the sandstone church of St. John, Barlaston, which, along with its next door neighbour Barlaston Hall, presents one of the most picturesque architectural duos in the area. The church is in well-kept grounds among a profusion of trees.
The only remaining part of an earlier church is the west tower, which probably dates from the 1200s; the main body was completely rebuilt in 1886-8. On the north side of the tower a very good vestry was added in 1969. ' Inside are a number of memorials to the Wedgwood family.
There is a beautifully simple and straightforward sundial set into the south wall which, I would imagine, was rescued from some earlier building. It has incised Roman numerals and the inscription, J. Aston, Church Warden.
The earliest reliable mention I could find concerning a church or chapel at Barlaston occurs in a privilege granted by the Pope in 1162 which confirms the status and possessions of Trentham Priory, with the parish church of Trentham and its dependencies heading the priory's possessions; these dependencies included Barlaston, Betley, etc.
Understandably, the canons were careful to protect their major source of income, but, as time went by, many wealthy landowners sought to build new chapels; by the early 13th century, Barlaston, which was part of Trentham parish, had its own chapel in the patronage of the Lord of the Manor.
In 1225 the advowson of this chapel was granted by John Fitzz-Philipp, to the canons on the understanding that they maintained a resident chaplain at Barlaston to celebrate divine service, bury the dead, and baptise the children of parishioners.
The building was closed in 1980 after subsidence caused cracks in the masonry and moved to Barlaston village for worship and religious ceremonies where it remains today’.
The church was deconsecrated in the 1980’s and fell into disrepair. Acquired by the Gilchrist-Dick family in 2018 along with Barlaston Hall the family set about renovating the church in 2021 and is now known as St John’s at Barlaston Hall.
