Church of St John the Baptist, Newport

50°41′45″N 01°17′43″W

Church of St. John the Baptist, Newport
The church from St John's Road
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Open Evangelical
History
Dedication	St. John the Baptist
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	Portsmouth
Parish	Newport, Isle of Wight

West face of the church

The Church of St. John the Baptist, Newport is a parish church in the Church of England located in Newport, Isle of Wight. It is a Grade II listed building,^[1] the only surviving building by the British architect Robert Gunter Wetten (1804–1868).^[2]

History

Construction started in 1835. The building, at the junction of St. John's Road and Terrace Road, was complete by 1837.^[3] It cost £3,600 and had 830 seats.

It was consecrated on 4 April 1837 by Charles Sumner, Bishop of Winchester.^[4]

Originally it was a daughter church within the Parish of Carisbrooke, and known as St John's Church, Carisbrooke. It became a parish church in its own right in 1896, by order of the Privy Council. It is now part of a joint parish with Sts Thomas Minster, St Mary's, Carisbrooke and St Olave's, Gatcombe.^[5]

Organ

An organ was provided when the church opened in 1837, which was later replaced by a pipe organ by Bryceson Brothers dating from 1890. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.^[6]

List of organists

• J.H.Mew 1836 – after 1842
• A.Wells before 1882–1889
• Alexander S. L. Scadding 1890–1921^[7] - 1921 - ????
• Dorothy M. Welby Prior 1921–1959 1949^[8]
• Horace Lower (acting) 1959
• Alfred Westley Faulkner 1959–1960
• Horace Lower (acting) 1960
• James Ludlow 1960–1962
• Horace Lower 1962–1980
• John Matthews (acting) 1980
• John Matthews 1980–present