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The Church of St. John the Evangelist,
Charlton, Worcestershire

It was not until 1872 that a former Elizabethan barn was converted into a church. At that time the Manor of Charlton was part of Cropthorne.

From the fourteenth century to the middle of the nineteenth century the Dingley family were squires of Charlton Manor and memorials to them are prominent in Cropthorne Church.

Eventually the Manor of Charlton was bought by Henry Workman esquire, and for the first time for many centuries Charlton had a benevolent squire, who was concerned about the moral standards of the men then engaged in building the railway which passes through Charlton. He arranged for the Elizabethan barn to be cleverly formed into a church, and the work was undertaken by Mr Forsyth of Worcester. Henry Workman also had built an adjacent vicarage and a non-denominational school by the church.

The Church of St John the Evangelist was consecrated in 1872, and a few years later Charlton became an independent Parish. The benefices of Cropthorne and Charlton were united once again in 1923 and in 1988 became part of the Parish of five churches which exists today.

The church of St John has faced and overcome two major challenges in recent years. In 1986 it was severely damaged by fire and restored by diligent fund raising; by 1998 major structural repairs were required and once again substantial fund raising took place (£60,000 was needed) in order to make it a safe and secure place for worship.

Charlton Church has a thriving Junior Church and an active and enthusiastic congregation, and faces the future with confidence. It has been, and continues to be, a focal point of the community and hopefully a source of solace and inspiration for generations to come.