Church Of St Nicholas

SK 5804 SW LEICESTER ST NICHOLAS CIRCLE

718/2/107 CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS (Formerly listed as ST NICHOLAS STREET 5.1.50 St Nicholas Church)

GV I

Church. c880 AD, possibly then cathedral, reputed to be on site of Roman temple, and incorporating much Roman masonry and brickwork. C11, C12, C16, altered 1829-30,1875-6 by Ordish & Taylor and 1888-9, restored 1904-5 by Charles Baker. MATERIALS: coursed rubble stone and brick with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roofs. Chamfered plinth and irregular buttresses. PLAN: nave with aisles and south porch, central crossing tower with north transept, and chancel with south chapel. EXTERIOR: west front has central4-light pointed arch window with reticulated tracery and to right similar 3-light window with intersecting tracery. North front has three 3-1ight pointed arch aisle windows with intersecting tracery and a segment headed doorway to left. Gabled transept has 2 tall round headed windows and above a single similar window, transept east wall has blocked pointed arch with single lancet and quatrefoil window. Chancel north wall has 2 blocked arches. East front has 3-light pointed arch window with intersecting tracery to chancel and to left similar 4-light window with reticulated tracery. South front has C16 timber-framed gabled porch with C20 glazed front and inner doorway with round headed arch decorated with zig-zag. To left single pointed lancet and to right 3-light pointed arch window with intersecting tracery and 3 late C19 3-light pointed arch windows with sin1.ilar tracery .Single priests door has 4-centred arch doorway. Central crossing tower has two tiers of blind arcading to each face. Lower arcading has 5 simple round arches and above single central arches, containing double bell openings, flanked by pair of intersecting arches. Spire removed 1803. INTERIOR: has nave of Saxon origin with two round headed windows on inside of north wall above 2 bay round headed north arcade. South arcade replaced by single wide brick arch in 1829. South chancel arcade has 2 pointed and chamfered arches with circular pier and attached shafts. Late C11 central tower has round double arch to each side and above 5-light blind arcading. Pointed arch piscina and sedilia. C16 timber roofs. Fittings include early C20 pulpit with iron balustrade. Octagonal stone font with C20 wooden cover. Early C20 wooden pews. Niche with canopy in north aisle brought from Wyggeston's Hospital (built 1518, demolished 1875).

Listing NGR: SK5823804501