St John The Baptist
Alnmouth, Northumberland
A rural coastland village church in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, continuing a tradition of Christian witness in Alnmouth since the 7th century.
This includes the whole north side of the nave and much of the vaulted chancel, which originally had a mysterious high level chamber, perhaps a treasury or a relic house.
The church survived the Sack of Warkworth by the Scots in 1173, when hundreds of villagers were slaughtered inside it. The west tower dates from around 1200, but the belfry and spire were built around 1350.
The rather grand 15th century south aisle, and its two storeyed south porch, are a rarity in Northumberland but can be explained by the patronage of the powerful Percy family and the proximity of their castle.
