Monument record 9062 - Saxon Minster and Collegiate Church of St John the Baptist

The church of St John the Baptist (or St John’s) was established as a minster during the Saxon period, although the precise date of its foundation cannot be determined; according to traditional accounts, it was founded in 689 during the reign of King Aethelred (5, 7), although Bishop Tanner suggested the founder was Ethelred, Earl of Mercia, who died in 912 (1), and alternate sources suggest a date of c 906, or just before the establishment of the burh for its foundation (2). It was reported to have been used by King Edgar in 973 for an important political gathering at which British and Viking princes demonstrated their submission by rowing Edgar up the River Dee to the church (7). It had certainly been founded by 907, and with St Peter and St Paul’s (later St Werburgh and St Oswald’s) was one of two important churches in Chester at the time (5). Mentioned in the Domesday Book, St John’s was described as extramural to the town, set on a red sandstone outcrop known as redcliff, and later charters attest to very long standing agreements between St John’s and St Werburgh’s regarding burial rights to the town and the country (1, 5). At that time (conquest), the parish that it represented was substantial, and contained about an eighth of Chester’s burgess population, holding eight town houses probably in Fleshmongers Lane (5). The survey also states that it was a collegiate, and consisted of a Dean and seven canons, each with a separate house; they were a body of secular priests, and it was not a monastic establishment (3). Just prior to the conquest, in 1057, the church, along with St Werburgh’s, was repaired and saw its endowments and privileges increased under Leofric, Earl of Mercia (4). Any potential existing Saxon element to the building was obscured by the gradual rebuilding of the structure during Norman times, and indeed throughout the medieval and post medieval periods (4). With the exception of a series of tenth century Saxon crosses found out of context on the site (CHER 9013/28), no visible Saxon period elements remain (8). These objects were decorated in a unique style which suggests that St John’s may have accommodated an important regional stone-carving school (7). Finally, two tenth century burials, interred in a clearly Christian custom, were excavated at the eastern side of the amphitheatre (7). Based on recent work at the site of the amphitheatre just west of the church, and evidence indicating Saxon re-use of the abandoned Roman structure, it has been suggested that the siting of the church close to the amphitheatre may have been linked to traditions of the Christian martyrs, or to the existence of a stronghold-type power centre within the amphitheatre building. Once the royal burh had been established however (CHER 9069), the population and administrative power base would have shifted away from St John’s to within the renewed defences. But an ecclesiastical centre seems to have survived at St John’s and the construction of the Wolf Gate would have ensured the maintenance of links between the two centres (7).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/306-317 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /327 (Book). SCH2177.

<3> Parker, John Henry, 1864, The Collegiate Church of St John the Baptist, Chester, Parker J H 1864 lst s/2/329-46 (Article in Journal). SCH5521.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/251 & 268 Thacker A 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<5> Alldridge N.J, 1981, Aspects of the topography of early medieval Chester, Alldridge N J 1981 64/5-31 (Article in Journal). SCH5931.

<6> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 1994, Annual Review 1993-1994 (Newsletter). SCH6050.

<7> Chester Archaeology, Archaeology in the Park: Grosvenor Park, Chester 2007 (Newsletter). SCH6469.

<8> Grosvenor Museum Excavations Newsletter, 1985, Summary of Excavations in Chester (Newsletter). SCH6270.