St.John's Church, Vellore Fort, Vellore, Vellore District, Tamil nadu.

09^th September 2018.

The present St. John’s Church was built in the year 1846 AD. The process of building this Church has a long story since 1798 CE. The story goes like this..

Vellore had a Chaplain since 1798 CE, to cater East India Company’s European officers. It was felt that a there is need for a Chaplain  to cater for the native converted Christians. In 1773, Fabricius of Vepery built the first Church with the contributed fund ( Fabricius contributed 60 pagodas and Madras Government 10 pagodas, and the rest was contributed by the officers and Soldiers of the Company Regiment )  in side the Fort  to be used for native congregation. The Church was used for Sunday Services and the rest of the days School was functioning. After the second Anglo- Mysore war, the Church was taken by the military to accommodate their personnel and 300 pagodas was given as a purchase price.

In 1792, William Harcourt Torriano, a civil representative of Madras Government and friend of Schwarz  constructed a new Church from his own fund. This was dedicated to Gericke and J P Rottler a missionary  from Tranquebar in 1793 CE, which last for 30 years. After the Sepoy mutiny in 1806 CE, Military station was shifted from Vellore Fort to Arcot and built a large Church there. In 1830 CE, Gospel of Foreign Parts ( authorized by SPG ), which holds the Vellore mission, allotted 200 pounds for construction of New Church in 1835 CE for the use of Europeans and Natives.

In 1837, Rev W Tomes, recommends to refurbish the Torriano’s Church to put in to use for the Europeans at an estimated cost of Rs 510. Due to poor stability, a new proposal was initiated to construct the Church in the Vellore City. This proposal was also shelved due to objections raised by the Military personnel considering the safety reasons. In 1837, the Public Rooms inside the Fort was used for conducting Sunday service and a monthly rental of Rs 35 was paid to the Military officers who owned the Public Rooms ( used for Dance, Drama and entertainments ).

In 1844, construction of a new church was approved within the fort and completed in 1846 CE at a cost of Rs 5559, with an extra rs 500  for the furniture and fittings. Major C G Ottley was paid Rs 500 as a remuneration  for the design and construction. The Church was named as St, john’s Church, which was never consecrated. ( Since once used for dancing, acting and other entertainment ). The Church could accommodate 280 people supported by the columns. The Church measures 50 x 41 ft, the sanctuary in the east 15 x 18 ft and 2 vestries 10 x 8 ft. The Church was refurbished in 1862 CE and 1883 CE. 

From the inscriptions,  the Colours ( Flags ) of the 10^th Madras infantry raised at Vellore as the 14th Native Battalion in 1766, becoming the 10th REC M.N.I in 1824, Converted in to the 1st Burma Rifles in 1890, inscribed Carnatic Mysore 1792, Ambur 1749, ASSAI 1803, AVA 1852, and Burma 1885-87, were deposited in St. John's Church , The Fort Vellore in 1893. Two tablets also erected in side the Church in memory of the trustees Henry Allen Waring ( 1875- 1906 ), Madras Police, Principal Police Training School, by his brother officers. The other one for Denniston Stewart, Agent of the Imperial bank of India, Vellore, by those who knowing him, respected him and loved him  from the voluntary subscriptions received. 

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