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Church of St John the Baptist, Niton50°35′18″N 01°17′15″W / 50.58833°N 1.28750°W
 The Church of St John the Baptist, Niton is a Church of England parish church in Niton, Isle of Wight. HistoryThe church was founded by William FitzOsbern and given to an abbey in Normandy.[citation needed] In the Victorian era it was extensively restored and rebuilt.[1] The nave may be 11th century,[2] as may be the Norman font.[3] A north aisle was added at the end of the 12th century and a south aisle shortly afterwards.[2] In the 14th century the chancel was rebuilt and the south porch was added.[2] In the 15th century a chapel was added south of the chancel and east of the south aisle, and a four-centred arch was inserted in the south wall of the chancel to link it with the chapel.[2] The north aisle was demolished, its arcade filled in and two-light Perpendicular Gothic windows inserted in each of the filled-in arches.[2] The Perpendicular Gothic[3] west tower was added towards the end of the 15th century.[2] The square-headed windows in the south aisle were inserted in the 16th century and the spire was added to the tower probably early in the 17th century.[2] On the wall can be found a memorial portrait by John Flaxman, showing a woman holding pelicans in her hand in relief.[citation needed] The chancel has a modern reredos.[citation needed] The registers, which date from 1560, include the following entry:
In front of the porch is a 19th-century Celtic cross by Joseph Clarke[3] on the four steps of the old churchyard cross. Near the Celtic cross a marble monument marks the grave of Edward Edwards, (1812–1886) the pioneer of the public library movement.[citation needed] The churchyard also contains four Commonwealth war graves of service personnel, three from World War I and one from World War II.[5] OrganA specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register[permanent dead link]. ReferencesSources
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