St. John the Evangelist

Coulsdon Parish Church - Old Coulsdon, Surrey

In the South wall are depictions of St. Luke and St. John over their symbols of an ox and an eagle. Saint Luke holds a book to indicate that he is an Evangelist. In this church, the book is unnecessary for St. John. St. Luke holds pens. St. John holds a chalice from which is emerging a serpent, an allusion to an unsuccessful attempt to poison him.

The bottom records that the windows of the four Evangelists commemorate William Arthur Kelk (1866-1948), a priest here for over 40 years. What is now the Old Church had much stained glass destroyed by a bomb in World War II. We are not far from Kenley airfield, a fighter base in the Battle of Britain.