Rising from the ruins: a thousand years of rebuilding at the Minster Church of

The Minster Church of Saint John the Evangelist, standing on an ancient Christian site dedicated to Saint Wilfrid, has been the parish church of Preston since its foundation. Over the centuries, it has twice been rebuilt, the first time in the 16th century, though the exact date is unknown, and the second time in 1853. The new church, designed by E. H. Shellard, was built between 1853 and 1855, and is considered his major work. Its architectural style is Decorated, with a 5½-bay nave, north and south aisles, a three-bay chancel, a three-bay chapel on the south with an attached vestry, and a west steeple with a north porch. The tower is tall and in three stages, with two louvred bell openings on each side, above which is a cornice with gargoyles, and a parapet with corner pinnacles. The spire is tall and octagonal, with two tiers of small lucarnes.

In the 1960s, north and south galleries were removed, and the church was re-ordered in the early 2000s by Francis Roberts. To mark the granting of city status to Preston, in 2003 the church was renamed the Minster Church of Saint John.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons