St. John's Towers of Flowers.

‘So teach us to number our
days that we may apply our
hearts unto wisdom.’
Thus reads the carved inscription over the entrance to the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the oldest church in Leeds. It was built in 1632-34, at a troubled and turbulent time in English history when very few churches were being built. It was entirely funded by a wealthy Royalist merchant, John Harrison, who also funded a grammar school and almshouses. In the mid-19th Century, the parish wanted to demolish the building and build a modern, more convenient church in its place. A young architect, Norman Shaw, led an outcry against this. He was joined by eminent architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. Their protestations prevailed and Shaw was responsible for the restoration work that followed, very much true to the original style of the building.
Although the exterior of the building is pleasing and the towers of flowers very pretty even this late in the season, much of the joy of this church lies within its walls in the form of magnificent Jacobean/Carolian fittings, in particular the superb wooden screen and the rich decorations and carvings with which the interior is decorated.