Building St John’s: A Church for Cononley

For centuries, Cononley had no Church of England church of its own.

The village formed part of the ancient parish of Kildwick, and St Andrew’s was its parish church. But during the nineteenth century Cononley was growing and changing. Eventually a new chapter began: first with Anglican worship in a village school and then with the building of St John the Evangelist.

A growing village

By the nineteenth century, Cononley was becoming a larger and increasingly industrial community.

Yet for Anglican families, the parish church remained St Andrew’s Kildwick. Baptisms, marriages, funerals and the principal services of the Church of England connected the village with its ancient mother church.

At the same time, other Christian traditions were already flourishing within Cononley. Methodism had become well established and other Nonconformist communities were developing.

The case for a Church of England presence within the village itself was becoming increasingly strong.

A school and a place of worship

The first major step came in 1846.

A National School was established at New Inn Fold, on land given by the Revd John Swire.

The building had a double purpose. During the week it provided education for Cononley children. It could also be used as a place of worship.

On 26 April 1846, the first Church of England service was held there.

It was an important moment. Cononley still belonged to the parish of Kildwick, but Anglican worship now had a home within the village.

Cononley gets its own curate

At first, the clergy serving Cononley continued to be based elsewhere.

That changed in 1854, when the Revd John Dale Wawn became the first curate to live in Cononley itself.

The presence of a resident clergyman strengthened the developing Anglican community and helped prepare the way for something more ambitious.

Cononley needed a church.

Plans for St John’s

John Swire had indicated that he would provide a site on which a new church could be built.

Following his death in 1860, however, the situation proved more complicated. His executors had to purchase the land intended for the church rather than simply transferring it as a gift.

Nevertheless, the project went ahead.

After almost twenty years of Anglican worship in the school, Cononley was finally to have a purpose-built Church of England church.

St John the Evangelist

The new church was dedicated to St John the Evangelist.

Built in the Gothic style favoured by Victorian church architects, St John’s was designed as a recognisably Anglican place of worship for the growing village.

Its original appearance was rather different from the church we see today. The interior included considerable decorative painting, giving the Victorian church more colour than its present-day interior might suggest.

The new building was consecrated on 25 July 1864.

For the first time, Cononley had its own Church of England church.

From village church to parish church

Even then, St John’s remained connected ecclesiastically with the ancient parish centred on Kildwick.

That changed seven years later.

In 1871, Cononley-with-Bradley became a separate ecclesiastical parish.

The creation of the new parish marked the culmination of a process which had begun with worship in the school in 1846. Cononley now had not only its own church and resident priest, but its own distinct place within the organisation of the Church of England.

St John’s had become a parish church.

The church develops

The building continued to change as the life of the new parish developed.

Among the later additions was a chancel screen, installed in 1893. Other alterations and gifts gradually shaped the interior of the church.

Like most churches, St John’s was never a completely finished building. Each generation inherited it, adapted it and left something for those who followed.

And not every proposed alteration was carried out.

In 1914 an ambitious scheme to enlarge St John’s was approved. The east end would have been extended to provide substantially more seating. The outbreak of the First World War brought those plans to an end, leaving us with the tantalising possibility of a rather different St John’s.

A church for Cononley

The building of St John’s was about more than constructing a Victorian church.

It reflected the transformation of Cononley itself.

A village which for centuries had looked towards Kildwick for its Anglican worship had grown sufficiently to support a church, resident clergy and eventually a parish of its own.

Yet St John’s did not replace Cononley’s other Christian traditions. It became another part of a village already shaped by centuries of faith, from the ancient parish church at Kildwick to the Methodist and other Nonconformist communities established closer to home.

The story which began with worship in a schoolroom in 1846 had, by 1871, produced a new parish centred upon St John the Evangelist.

St John’s was built because Cononley was changing. More than 160 years later, it remains a place of Christian worship at the heart of the village.

10/09/2026

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Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome

If you're new to church, new to the area, returning after some time away, or simply wondering whether church might be for you, you are very welcome at Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

You don't need to know what to do, what to say or even what you believe. Just come as you are. Our churches are places where people can worship, ask questions, find friendship and explore faith together.

We are one parish with three churches: St Andrew's Kildwick, St John's Cononley and The Bradley Church. Each is a little different, but wherever you join us, we hope you will find a warm welcome.

Find our Sunday services

What are we about?

At the heart of our life together is Jesus Christ and his call to love God and love our neighbour.

For many years we have expressed our mission in four simple words:

Sharing, Caring, Growing in Christ

In Christ

Everything begins with God's love for us in Jesus Christ. We don't come to church because we have everything sorted out. We come to worship, to pray, to learn and to discover more of what it means to follow Jesus.

Growing

Faith is a journey. None of us has all the answers, and there is always more to discover. Through worship, prayer, the Bible and one another, we seek to grow in faith and in our understanding of God.

Caring

Following Jesus means caring for one another and for the communities around us. We seek to put God's love into practice through friendship, compassion, service and care for our neighbours.

Sharing

The good news of Jesus is something to be shared. We want to share God's hope, love and peace through what we say, but also through how we live and how we serve others.

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This is reflected in our vision for the parish:

Living out our faith, rooted in service; embracing everybody equally.

We want these to be more than words. They describe the kind of Christian community we are seeking to become.

What happens if I come on Sunday?

You don't need to book or let us know that you're coming. Just turn up.

Our services vary across our three churches. Some are traditional celebrations of Holy Communion, while others are more informal. You can find the time and location of this week's services on our Sunday Services page.

When you arrive, there will usually be someone to welcome you and give you anything you need for the service. You are welcome to sit wherever you like.

Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the service or don't know when to stand or sit. Just follow along as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Nobody will mind if you get something 'wrong'.

See our Sunday services

Do I need to be a Christian?

No.

You might have been a Christian for many years, be returning to church after a long time away, have lots of questions, or simply be curious.

You don't have to have faith sorted out before coming to church. Exploring, questioning and sometimes doubting are all part of the journey.

Whatever your background, faith or spiritual beliefs, you are welcome.

What should I wear?

Whatever you normally wear!

There is no dress code. Some people dress smartly, others come in jeans and trainers. Come in whatever makes you comfortable.

What about children?

Children and families are very welcome at our churches.

We know that children make noise, move around and don't always behave like adults, and that's absolutely fine. Please don't worry about having to keep them perfectly quiet.

We also have activities especially for children and families throughout the year.

Find out about Children & Families

Will I be expected to give money?

No.

There may be an opportunity to give during or after a service, but visitors should never feel under any pressure to contribute. Please simply be our guest.

Can I receive Communion?

If you normally receive Holy Communion in your own church, you are welcome to receive with us.

If you would prefer not to receive Communion, you are still very welcome to come forward for a blessing, or simply remain in your seat. There is no pressure either way.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies between our three historic church buildings. You can find specific access information on each church's page, or please contact us if we can help you plan your visit.

Getting involved

Coming to a Sunday service is only one way to be part of our parish.

Throughout the week there are opportunities to meet people, pray, learn, sing, serve our communities and simply spend time together. Have a look at our What's On pages to see what might interest you.

You can also sign up for our weekly email newsletter to find out what's happening across Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

See What's On
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Still have questions?

Please get in touch. It doesn't matter whether your question is about a service, accessibility, children, faith, or simply which of our churches might be right for you.

We would be very happy to help.

Contact Us

A word from Mike

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I'm Mike Green, the Vicar of Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

Finding your way into a church for the first time can sometimes feel daunting, particularly if you're not sure what to expect. I hope you'll discover that you don't need to know the right words, understand everything we do, or have all the answers before you come.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey of faith, there is a place for you here.

I hope we'll have the opportunity to welcome you in person soon.

Best wishes,
Revd Mike