Grade I listed · Sevenoaks

Church of St John the Baptist

Church of St John the Baptist is a Grade I listed building in Sevenoaks, first listed on 10 September 1954. It is one of 31 Grade I entries among 1,654 listed buildings in Sevenoaks; 4% of Sevenoaks’s current entries were listed before it.

List entry
Field	Value
Name	Church of St John the Baptist
Grade	Grade I — exceptional interest
List entry number	1243204
Date first listed	10 September 1954
Local planning authority	Sevenoaks
Location	51.17358, 0.18347 (map)
Official record	Historic England list entry 1243204

Planning works on this listed building?

Planium checks which consents Sevenoaks will require for your works on Church of St John the Baptist, lists what the heritage statement must cover and drafts the application text.

Ask Planium what consent you need

What the grade means for works

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest — only about 2.5% of listed buildings in England. Any application for listed building consent is notified to Historic England, and alterations are scrutinised closely.

The protection covers the whole building, inside and out, plus fixtures and attached structures. Typical works that need consent: replacing windows or doors, removing walls or historic fabric, changing roof coverings, installing solar panels or external insulation, and adding extensions.

Listed buildings near Church of St John the Baptist

Name	Grade	Distance
Wall Running South South East from Southern Tip of Penshurst Place and Returning Eastward	II*	27 m
The Rectory	II	34 m
The Old Guildhouse	II*	40 m
Archway Connecting No3 and the Old Guildhouse	II	41 m
1-3, Leicester Square	II	43 m
The Post Office and House Adjoining Post Office	II	55 m
Inner Garden Wall to North and West of Formal Garden of Penshurst Place	II*	60 m
Wall Cottage	II	62 m
Retaining Wall in Front of the Square	II	63 m
Gatehouse and Gateway Leading to Penshurst Place and Also to Well Place	II	87 m

Frequently asked questions

Is Church of St John the Baptist listed?

Yes. Church of St John the Baptist is on the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building, list entry number 1243204, first listed on 10 September 1954. The full list entry with its description and map is on Historic England’s website.

Do I need consent for works to Church of St John the Baptist?

Works that affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest — inside or out — need listed building consent from Sevenoaks, in addition to any planning permission or building regulations approval. Like-for-like repairs often do not, but confirm with the council’s conservation officer before you start.

Source: National Heritage List for England, © Historic England 2026, via planning.data.gov.uk. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Retrieved 12 October 2026. Local authority assigned from the list entry point. This page is a summary — the legal record is the official list entry.