Church Of St Nicholas

Church of St Nicholas

This is a parish church of 15th-century origin, substantially altered in 1706 and 1736, with a major restoration in 1875. It is built of ashlar and brick with lead roofs, comprising a western tower, clerestoried nave, aisles, south porch, and a chancel that was removed in 1706.

The three-stage 15th-century tower features a bell-moulded plinth, chamfered string courses, and a battlemented parapet with corner pinnacles. The stepped corner buttresses are characteristic of the period. The belfry stage contains three-light openings with cusped heads, panel tracery, moulded surrounds and hoods. The middle stage has two-light windows with cusped heads and quatrefoils over. A pointed west door in a continuously moulded surround leads into the building. Above this door is a three-light window with panel tracery, and over its head sits a shield in an octofoil surround flanked by cusped niches, all beneath a brattished cornice.

The aisles and nave clerestorey are battlemented. The north aisle has stepped buttresses with corbelled grotesques and panelled crocketed pinnacles. It contains six three-light windows, one at each end and four on the north side, all with cavetto mullions, hollow moulded surrounds, cusped heads and panel tracery with continuous hood mould. The pointed north door is set in a continuously moulded surround with an empty statue niche above. Lead rainwater heads dated 1708 are visible.

In 1706, the east end of the nave was closed off in brick laid in Flemish bond. This blocking contains a central pointed blank arch with moulded surround, above which sits a chamfered offset and three ashlar panels recording the work. The east gable contains a two-light window. The south aisle has three-light windows matching those on the north. The clerestorey has four two-light windows with panel tracery and chamfered surrounds.

The gabled south porch is notable for its fine external details. It has a continuously moulded outer door with fleurons and moulded hood, above which is a moulded ogee niche. The parapet features angel supporters and fine running vine scroll decoration. In the gable is an original floriated crucifix. Inside, the east wall carries an inscription recording the donor John Goddard. The interior preserves side benches and an octagonal stoup with ogee head in the north-east angle, above which is a cusped niche. The south doorway is continuously moulded and retains an early 15th-century wooden door with panel-traceried head, now fitted with an 18th-century wicket. The porch roof is original, with moulded principals and arched braced ties.

The interior features five-bay nave arcades with octagonal piers, moulded capitals and hollow chamfered arches. The tall tower arch matches these proportions and has concave moulded imposts. The chancel arch has wave-moulded reveals and a double-chamfered arch. The aisles contain cusped-headed piscinae. All roofs are original, with moulded principals, bosses and demi-figure supporters. The nave roof has arch braces, and above the tie beams are pierced cusped traceried panels. Two windows in the north aisle retain 15th-century grisaille glass depicting figures of saints and canopies.

The tower screen and chancel screen are spectacular features, with tall narrow cusped gablettes in broader panelled traceried arches. An inscription over the tower screen opening records the donor John Dudeck. Three matching parclose screens in the aisles have ogee heads and panel tracery. The benches throughout are complete sets with carved poppy-head ends and original back seats and rests. An early 18th-century panelled octagonal pulpit with swept base stands in the church. A large painted coat of arms of George I in a panelled wooden surround with moulded cornice hangs in the north aisle. The tower contains a set of four commandment boards. The 15th-century octagonal font has panelled sides and base containing tracery and shields, with a 19th-century conical softwood cover.

Monuments include a small brass wall plaque in the north chapel to Mary Andrews, died 1728, with Memento Mori inscription in a plain ashlar surround. In the floor of the north chapel is a 15th-century ashlar slab with a cross fleury on a stepped base.