In 1572, the greater part of the central steeple again fell in; and in 1574, part of the steeple at the west end of the church also gave way, whereby great part of the church was destroyed. After being suffered to remain in a ruinous state for some years, the parishioners obtained a grant of the church from Queen Elizabeth in 1581, whereupon they repaired and reduced it to its present size and form, by taking down the remains of the central steeple, and cutting off the south and north transepts and all the chapels above the choir. In 1585, the Queen granted the impropriate rectory and advowson to Sir Christopher Halton, by whom it was conveyed to Alexander King, who, in 1587, conveyed it to Alexander Cotes, whose daughter brought it by marriage to the family of the Sparkes, in 1597; in which family it continued until the year 1810, when it was sold by their representative, John Adams, Esq., to the late Marquis of Westminster, who, in 1813, rebuilt the north and south transepts, and repaired the chancel, in which he introduced a Gothic window over the altar. “St. Johns, when entire,” says Pennant, “was a magnificent pile. The tower once stood in the centre, but falling down in 1574, was never rebuilt.” “The church,” says Ormerod, “was in the finest style of early Norman architecture; it consisted originally of a nave and choir, with side aisles, two transepts, and a central tower, &c.” On each side of the chancel were added, at a later period, chapels in a rich style of pointed Gothic, in which some exquisite specimens of shrine work are yet remaining. The nave and choir, fitted up and repaired in 1581, as before mentioned, now form the parish church, in which public worship is celebrated. Eight arches, resting on pillars 5 feet 6 inches in circumference, with capitals variously ornamented, separate the nave from the side aisles; and above these are two rows of galleries, with pointed arches, springing from light shafts. Four massive composite pillars, which formerly supported the central tower, still remain in the nave. In the interior are some interesting relics of the architecture of our Norman ancestors. The belfry is detached from the church, at the north-west corner of which it is situate. It is a square tower, erected in the seventeenth century, 150 feet in height. It is extremely lofty, and its sides are decorated with pointed windows in a good style, figures placed in rich shrines, strings of quatrefoils and rows of ornamental arches; in one of the niches on the west side is placed a statue which has excited much controversy. It is much defaced by time and exposure to the weather. At the east end of the church, as now rebuilt, stand the ruins of the chapels above the choir, consisting of the outer walls, with the remains of several windows of Gothic architecture; and the eastern wall, containing a beautiful arched window, of the same style, but larger and richer in ornament than the others.