St John the Baptist

Containing many fine features, Royston parish church is an inspiring building of architectural as well as spiritual importance which it is important to preserve for future generations.

Built by the monks of the nearby Priory of St Mary Magdalen at Lund (Monk Bretton Priory), the present building can be dated back to before 1234. The association of this church with the monks would have ended abruptly when their Priory was seized by the Crown and dissolved in 1539.

There was possibly an Anglo Saxon church here, evidenced by some early foundation work, and the discovery of a fragment of an Anglo Saxon cross, now displayed to the right of the altar. On the opposite side of the sanctuary, the solid sacristy door with its original iron work is particularly fine. The eastern part of the chancel is probably the earliest part of the present building, the masonry of the north and south walls being part of the church described in 1240 as newly built. The proportions of the chancel would seem to agree with those of a mid  13th century structure, though it is uncertain if it was originally flanked by aisles. 

The Decorated tracery of the east window and the distinctive ogee (onion shaped) arch of the sacristy doorway in the north wall of the sanctuary are part of a remodelling of circa 1340, but earlier is the north aisle with its windows with Y tracery of the early 14th century. The nave with the addition of the clerestory and magnificent roof is a rebuilding in two stages in the 15th century. The three eastern bays with their arcade of unusual basket arches dates to circa 1413-18. The western bay (circa 1480) is where the tower originally stood. There is an enclosed stairway within the northwest wall, with a lancet window into church. This was probably the access to an earlier tower. The stonework here matches the arcades in the chancel and the enlarged Lady Chapel of circa 1430–40. 

All this is Perpendicular in style, as is the great west tower which was built in the 1480’s. Whilst the tower has the usual diagonal buttresses, crenellated parapet and crocketted pinnacles, it is more remarkable for its extremely unusual Oriel window at the same level as the ringing chamber.

The church was extensively restored in 1867-69 by JL Pearson.