History
The account below is an edited extract from the Centenary Souvenir booklet published in 1977.
The Church of St John the Evangelist was built on an acre of land generously given by the Fifth Duke of Portland. Within a few weeks, the then enormous sum of nearly £800 had been donated and the well-known architect, Bromley, was engaged to start with the building.
A young 24 year old clergyman, the Rev H C Hicks, was ordained to serve Butler’s Hill, and almost at once, began to hold services in a shop in Wyburn Street which had been specially bought for the purpose.
The main body of the church was dedicated on Tuesday 6th March 1877 by Bishop Tozer. Until the addition of the Chancel, Sanctuary and Organchamber in 1895 (at a cost of £950), the building extended only as far back as the main archway. The capitals of the columns in the new Chancel were erected as rough-hewn stones, and not carved until another generation had passed. In 1892 a parsonage house was built on the church acre at a cost of £640.
As a result of the Pastoral Measure of 1968, the parish of St John’s joined with the parishes of St Mary Magdelene and SS Peter and Paul to become the parish of Hucknall. In 1971 the status of St John’s changed from being a daughter church of St Mary’s to being a District Church in its own right and the new Team Ministry of Hucknall was completed. The purpose was described thus: “the creating of a Team Ministry would stabilise the pastoral oversight of this large parish. A Team Vicar with a longer and assured term of office would lead to continuity and secutity, the responsibility of the priests at the Daughter Churches being such that they merited ‘Incumbent Status’.”
