A brief history
The Church of St John the Evangelist at Hollington is situated in the Parish of Croxden-with-Hollington and is part of a United Benefice with Rocester, located in the Uttoxeter Deanery, which itself is part of the Stoke Archdeaconry in the Lichfield Diocese.
In 1859, a plot of land was purchased in a sale of freehold estate (including quarries) sold in Hollington by one Edward Phillips.
George Edmund Street RA FRIBA, (1824-1881) designed the Church and it was built using Hollington stone and the outside walls were given a “rock-face” finish. The design uses lancet windows. Street had been an assistant to George Gilbert Scott for five years from 1844 before setting up his own practice. The most well-known building designed by Street is the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand in London. He also designed St Paul’s within the Walls on the Via Napoli in Rome.
A Petition for Consecration was presented on 3 June 1861 and the Church was consecrated on 22 June 1861 as a Chapel of Ease for Hollington in the Checkley Ecclesiastical Parish with movable pews seating up to 150.
Hollington Church possesses a sedile tapestry by Morris. Street employed William Morris (1834-1896) for a year in his Architectural Office and was also involved with him in the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The Churchyard was extended in February 1912 by the purchase of land from George Herbert Carr and a Certificate of Readiness was issued on 21 February 1913 followed by a Record of Consecration dated 7 March 1913.
By Order in Council approved by King George V on 17 March 1913 the Parish status & boundary were changed and St John’s became a Chapel of Ease to Croxden on 28 March 1913.
1938 saw the installation of electric light.
Also that year a bronze tablet was placed on the south wall of the nave inscribed to the memory of Alice Armshaw.
In 1942 benches near font were removed and a pendant cross from chancel arch was installed.
Various repairs were carried out in Aug 1985
The Church was rewired and new light fittings installed in 1989-1990
In 1991 a proposed design for a graveyard memorial in local stone was petitioned for.
The William Morris sedile hanging was removed for exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1995 and had to be returned by 23 September 1996.
In 1992 the tile floor of nave was sealed with Coolas Hydrotite and carpeted.
On 22 June 1994 the name of the Parish of Croxden was changed to Croxden-with-Hollington.
The Church became a Parish Centre of Worship (within the Benefice of Rocester & Croxden with Hollington) on 29 September 2004 and became entitled to elect its own two Churchwardens.
St John's celebrates its 150th Anniversary on 22 June 2011.
