St. John's Church, Vellore Fort

St. John's Church is a historic Anglican church located inside the 16th-century Vellore Fort in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. Built in 1846 by the Government of Madras for British East India Company officers and families stationed at the fort, it is noted for its simple Gothic Revival architecture. Maintained by the Church of South India, the church remains active and is a key heritage attraction within the fort complex alongside the Jalakanteswarar Temple and Government Museum.

Visitors can expect a small, well-preserved colonial-era church set within the spacious Vellore Fort complex surrounded by granite ramparts and a moat. The interior features wooden pews, stained-glass windows, memorial plaques and a simple altar. The surroundings include open fort grounds, the adjacent Jalakanteswarar Temple, Tipu Mahal and Government Museum. The site is quiet, suitable for sightseeing, photography and brief heritage walks.

St. John's Church was constructed in 1846 by the Government of Madras to serve British East India Company officers, soldiers and families stationed at Vellore Fort. The fort itself was originally built in the 16th century by the Vijayanagara chieftains Bommi and Thimma Reddy. The church was built in Gothic Revival style at a cost of about Rs. 5,925 and was consecrated for Anglican worship. It continues to be maintained by the Church of South India.

The church represents the colonial Christian heritage of Vellore and remains an active place of worship under the Church of South India. It is a notable example of 19th-century British ecclesiastical architecture in Tamil Nadu and forms part of the multi-religious heritage of Vellore Fort, which houses a church, temple and mosque within the same complex.