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St John the Apostle Whetstone

St John the Apostle is an Anglican church on the Great North Road in Whetstone, North London.

History
The church was built in 1832 on land given by Joseph Baxendale at the southern end of his Woodhouse estate. An earlier record of the land on which it stands dates from 1254 when it was known as Wood End Field and belonged to Adam de Basing, a draper. Joseph Baxendale petitioned Charles Blomfield, Bishop of London to build the church. The Bishop not only approved the scheme but probably served as its architect. The simple beauty of the design has been recognised and today the church is a Grade ll Listed Building by the English Heritage foundation. Joseph Baxendale made his fortune on haulage, linking canal and horse drawn transport. He is buried in the family vault behind the church. There has only been one burial in the nave of the church, that of Anne Charlette, the daughter of the first vicar, Henry Ventris and his wife. The child died at the age of 3 years 8 months.

In 1879 the Church underwent extensive changes. The Baxendale family donated the East window which was made by William Morris & Co and depicts a rare beardless Christ. At the same time the building was expanded with the addition of the chancel designed by James Brooke. In 1898 the vestry was built and after the First World War a memorial window was installed by the war memorial that listed the men from Whetstone who died in military service. There was formally a bell tower on the roof of the church which was removed 1996 following storm damage when it was assessed as unsafe.

Current status
The church is the parish church of Whetstone. The church has long been linked to St John's Primary School for many years.

Curates

 * 1832 - 1869 The Revd Henry Ventris
 * 1869 - 1876 The Revd Alfed Cay
 * 1876 - 1880 The Revd Thomas Arundell
 * 1881 - 1912 The Revd Charles Goody
 * 1912 - 1920 The Revd Edward Keymer
 * 1920 - 1928 The Revd Alfred Newns
 * 1928 - 1946 The Revd Edgar Sheppard
 * 1946 - 1949 The Revd Stewart Elmslie
 * 1949 - 1956 The Revd Raymond Beck
 * 1956 - 1981 The Revd Charles Dunbar
 * 1981 - 1990 The Revd Stephen Terry
 * 1990 - 1996 The Revd Patrick Henderson
 * 1996 - 2010 The Revd Kevin Mitchell
 * 2010 - 2016 The Revd Cindy Kent
 * 2016 - The Revd Lynn Davidson

Organ
According to the National Pipe Organ Register the organ builder was Bishop and Son of London and installed in 1909. This register states that the organ incorporates some work of Holdich from an old organ from Yorkshire. From old church magazines it is noted the instrument dates back to 1860 and was placed in its present position in 1909 by Mr Herbert Swain who was the organist for 47 years from 1897.

In 2009 the organ was awarded an 'Historic Organ Certificate' ref N15886.

Church hall
The first Church Hall at the end of Friern Barnet Lane was destroyed by fire in 1958. The second Church Hall was sold in 2017. There are plans to build a new church Hall on land behind the church.