Church of St Nicholas

Church of St Nicholas

Anglican church built 1960-62 to designs of architect Laurence Edward King and constructed by Brown & Jackson.

The church stands on a triangular plot of land at the intersection of three roads on the east coast, its east end terminating a long view down Beach Road from the seafront. The building was designed to resemble an upturned ship, reinforced through its use of triangular dormer windows on each side of the nave and chancel reminiscent of sails, and a central tower reminiscent of a ship's keel.

The exterior is constructed of fair faced brick walls with a timber slatted west gable and green copper sheet clad roofs. The steeply-pitched chancel roof has three small sharply pitched triangular dormers to each side. The windowless east end displays a large wooden cross and Instruments of the Passion, behind which rise the pitched nave roof and an immense brick tower, with single-storey pitched-roof aisles projecting to right and left, forming a focal point from the distant seafront. The nave roof is very steeply pitched and considerably higher than the chancel, extending over the aisles at a shallower angle, with three triangular dormer windows to each pitch. The aisles are blind except at the east end, which has a six-light rectangular window and five-light and paired single-light windows lighting vestries. A large square central tower at the east end of the nave appears to slice through the nave roof, comprising two tall sheer brick slabs on the east and west faces and large recessed lattice windows on the east and west sides, with louvred openings to the bell chamber above. The tower windows have replacement lattice fenestration matching the originals. Slightly projecting north and south gabled porches beneath the tower feature low pointed arch entrances fitted with original double timber doors and metal screens. The gabled west end is vertically timber clad with triple stepped rectangular lancet windows above a full-length flat-roofed porch with an entrance in each corner.

The interior is mostly exposed fair faced brick contrasting with lighter pointing. Floors are mostly woodblock in herringbone pattern, and the altar plinth has a terrazzo tiled floor. The original lighting pattern of pendant clusters along both sides of the nave and chancel is retained. Ceilings are mostly plastered and white, although the crossing ceiling is coffered concrete pierced with diamond motifs.

The chancel, reached by steps, houses a Lady Chapel with white painted plaster walls and abstract brightly-coloured stained-glass windows on either side. The rear wall contains an original carved and painted timber crucifix designed by King, set behind a small concrete altar. Vestries flank the chancel; that to the south aisle has painted walls and original full-height fitted cupboards. The chancel arch is exposed brick. The crossing features a stone-flagged floor and high ceiling with tall brick pointed arches on all sides. The main concrete altar is placed centrally upon a two-stepped plinth with a tester suspended by chains to the tower. To either side of the crossing are port and starboard lights positioned opposite to reflect an overturned ship. Laurence King designed large painted wood carvings flanking the crossing: a Madonna and St Nicholas, the Patron Saint of sailors. Gently curving altar rails with balusters surround the altar. The nave continues the upturned ship design, its roof formed of giant laminated cruck-like beams rising from the floor alternating with exposed brick arcades. The east end of the nave has triple narrow rectangular openings lighting narrow passage aisles with brick pointed arches. The nave retains original limed bench seating and a similar pulpit. Centrally placed on the west wall is a six-rank extension organ by Binns of Leeds, probably the last to be built by the firm J J Binns. The bell chamber contains a single bell on a simple timber frame.

Slaked lime fittings are used throughout the interior.