Church Of St Nicholas

The Church of St Nicholas at South Kilworth is a parish church of 12th-century origin, substantially rebuilt in the 15th century and restored in 1868–9 by the architect G F Bodley. It is constructed of coursed rubblestone with ashlar dressings, and features lead, slate and pantile roofs.

The building comprises a south-west tower with broach spire, south porch, nave, north and south aisles, and chancel. A continuous plinth runs around the building, with buttresses featuring set-offs throughout.

The tower is a 15th-century, 4-stage structure with clasping buttresses and three string courses with cornice below the spire. The west elevation contains a chamfered, pointed-arch 2-light window with hood formed by a continuous string course. The 3rd stage has a chamfered loop hole, and the 4th stage a chamfered, pointed-arch 2-light louvred bell-opening with transom and hoodmould, the lower lights blocked. Similar bell-openings appear on the north and east elevations. The east elevation additionally features a small trefoiled window with flat hoodmould in the 3rd stage. The octagonal, ashlared spire carries a First World War memorial clock face on four faces, with a 2-light gabled lucarne above and a smaller single-light lucarne higher still, topped by a weathercock.

The south porch has a slate roof, coped gable with kneelers and cross finials, and angle buttresses. Its entrance is a double-chamfered pointed arch doorway with rounded responds bearing capitals and bases, and a hoodmould. The east and west walls contain chamfered loop holes. Within the porch are stone seats and a First World War memorial on the west wall. Above the porch entrance, heavily moulded and pointed, is a C19 double-plank door. In the 3rd stage above is a trefoiled niche with thin colonettes bearing capitals and bases, a crocketed hood and finial, containing an effigy of St Nicholas. The 4th stage has a bell-opening similar to those on the tower. To the west of the porch, the 2nd stage contains two small loop holes, with another in the 4th stage.

The nave features a pantile roof with coped gables, kneelers and cross finials, and a 19th-century chimney stack rising from the north-east corner of the roof. The west wall has a 19th-century chamfered, pointed-arch 3-light window with hoodmould, and a loop hole in the gable above.

The 19th-century north aisle has a tile roof. Its west wall contains a single chamfered lancet. The north wall features, from west to east, a pair of chamfered lancets, a single chamfered lancet, and another similar. The east wall has a pair of heavily moulded lancets.

The 19th-century south aisle has a lead roof. Its south wall contains, from west to east, a buttress, then a large 2-light window with chamfered rectangular frame in polychrome stonework, a buttress, another similar window, and a further buttress. The east wall has a buttress and a chamfered, four-centred-arch 2-light window with hoodmould.

The 19th-century chancel has a coped east gable with kneelers and cross finial. The north wall contains, from west to east, a chamfered, pointed-arch 2-light window in polychrome stonework, another similar window, and a buttress. The south wall features a continuous sill band and, from west to east, a chamfered, pointed-arch 2-light window with hoodmould in polychrome stonework, a chamfered, pointed-arch priest's doorway with plank door, another similar 2-light window, and a buttress. The east wall has a chamfered, pointed-arch 3-light window with hoodmould, with a buttress below and buttresses either side, and a chamfered loop hole in the gable above.

Interior

The interior contains a double-chamfered pointed tower arch opening north, with responds bearing capitals and bases, and a similar tower arch with hoodmould opening east. A string course crosses the west wall of the nave.

The 12th-century north arcade comprises three bays with round arches and circular piers bearing capitals with square abaci and bases, with responds having impost bands. To the east is a 4th bay occupied by the organ, with a heavily moulded four-centred arch. The 19th-century south arcade contains three bays with heavily moulded pointed arches, bases to piers and responds, and a continuous hoodmould, with a corbel respond to the west.

A double-chamfered pointed chancel arch with responds bearing capitals and bases spans to the chancel, which has a continuous string course. The south-east corner contains a piscina with cinquefoiled head. A heavily moulded 19th-century sepulchre with hoodmould in the north-west corner is occupied by a worn effigy of a priest.

A late 12th or early 13th-century font has a capital bowl carved with large shapes, circular base, and polygonal plinth, with a 19th-century lid. Part of a stone altar tomb from circa 1300, belonging to Richard Wythnale, has been re-used as a reredos at the east end of the north aisle. It is worn and comprises four panels: Christ crucified on a leafy tree at centre, the Angel Gabriel to the left and the Virgin Mary to the right, with a shield to the right again. Two 13th-century stone coffin lids, the smaller bearing a worn carved pattern, are located at the west end of the nave.

The 19th-century reredos, altar rails, pews, stalls, organ, lectern and pulpit are all of this period. The chancel roof was repainted in 1984. Minton tiles in polychromatic style appear in the chancel, with stone flags in the nave, aisles and tower. Stained glass of the 19th century appears in the east window of the south aisle, and in the east and west windows; the west window dates to 1869 and was made by Hardman.

Monuments and Memorials

A brass plaque dated 1663 details the bequest of John Gobert of Coventry Esq, re-sited on the north-east corner of the tower. To its right on the north wall is a painted Roll of Honour for 1914–1919 in a glazed frame. A 19th-century square wooden bequest board with painted inscription appears on the west wall, and to its right, another square wooden board detailing a grant of 1868 made by the Incorporated Society for Building and Churches. A brass plaque on the north wall of the north aisle refers to the rebuilding of the aisle in 1836 by Rev William Pearson. The south aisle contains two 20th-century wall memorials to the Pownall family and a late 19th-century brass wall memorial to the east of the tower arch. The nave has two 19th-century marble wall memorials above the north arcade—that to the west dated 1861, and that to the east commemorating Rev William Pearson (died 1847). The chancel has a 20th-century wall memorial on the south wall.

The building retains 19th-century roofs throughout, and the south aisle and tower have 20th-century repainting.