NHER 5552 (Building record) - Church of St John the Evangelist, Blackfriars Street

By Salvin, 1846, in Gothic Revival (Early English imitation). West porch added 1980.
Information from (S1).
E. Rose (NAU).

Press cutting (S2) in file.
E. Rose (NAU).

(S3) states; built 1844-6 as part of Second Parliamentary Grant, for Daniel Gurney for whom Salvin had built North Runcton Hall. Intended as a pew-free church for poor people. Nave chancel and aisles. West end of arcades rebuilt 1889-90 and flying buttresses added. 1873, east windows recased. Internal west vestibule/porch 1980.
Font was given colonettes in 1946. Reredos of 1896. Pulpit 1882. Stained glass by Wailes 1846.
The roof of the nave is scissor truss. The marble and stone memorial pulpit has heads around it which may be contemporary portraits.
E. Rose (NLA), 24 September 2003.

Listed Grade II in 2004.
Notes that the church had the first free seating in Lynn.
See (S4).
E. Rose (NLA), 29 October 2004.

(S5) contradicts (S3) and states that the church was built at the suggestion of John Motteux, a retired silk merchant, who had spent time staying in King's Lynn but had been ejected from several pews in St Nicholas' church, hence noting the need for 'free' seating. He contributed £2000 to the overall costs of £5000. The site was provided by the Corporation. The roof was originally covered with scallop tiles, but these were replaced with slate to reduce the load on the nave roof. (S5) includes detailed dimensions of the building and a description of its interior and fittings. According to (S5) the stone pulpit and reading desks were added in 1885 in memory of Francis Cresswell.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 13 June 2019.

See NHER 62825 for details of medieval brass seal formerly recorded under this number.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 13 June 2019.