Berkswell Church

St John’s is a fine 12th Century Norman Church. The church is built on the site of an earlier Saxon church, remains in the crypt date back to the 8th century. Features of the church are the two-story gabled and timbered porch, which is 16th century. The room over the porch was used as the first school room in the village. The pegs for the boys hats, and the benches around the walls are still there. The room is now used as a vestry.

The two Norman crypts are another remarkable feature. The Eastern part was built about 1150 and the octagonal or Western end later in the same century.

The mice of Berkswell

A lot of the woodwork in the church is of this century and was carved by the famous wood carver, Robert Thompson. His mark is a mouse and in the church nine such mice can be found. The pulpit also has a lizard carved on it.

Outside the church

The South wall of the Chancel has some grotesque masks carved under the eaves. These were supposed to protect the church from any influence of evil. The remains of two ‘scratch dials’ can also be traced on this wall. They were used by the priest to obtain an idea of the time for the services. Near the dials is the grave of Maud Watson, the first woman Lawn Tennis Champion at Wimbledon. Miss Watson was the daughter of a former Rector of the church and lived next door to the church in the old Rectory (a fine red brick Georgian house, now 'The Well House', a private home.

The Nave