Church Of St Nicholas

The Church of St. Nicholas is a parish church with origins in the 12th century, and significant additions and rebuilding in the 13th century. The nave and chancel were substantially rebuilt between 1875 and 1878 by F. Goddard. It is constructed of squared limestone rubble with ashlar quoins and dressings, and has stone coped Collyweston slate roofs. The church comprises a western tower, a nave, a chancel, and a north aisle.

The 13th-century three-stage tower features clasping buttresses to the lower stages, a plinth, a chamfered string course, and a battlemented parapet. The twin pointed bell openings on each face are divided by octagonal moulded shafts and are set within a single chamfered surround with a hood mould. The tympanum of the south side incorporates a carved floriated trefoil. The second stage of the south side has a Y-traceried window with a moulded circular shaft and rectangular hood. The west doorway is pointed with double-chamfered arches and a hood mould, with octagonal responds and imposts. The upper stages mirror the south side, with the belfry light featuring an ornate capital on the central shaft and human heads to the hood mould. The north side resembles the south, with the second-stage window displaying nail head decoration and the belfry light featuring a plain tympanum.

The 19th-century north aisle has three pairs of lights with trefoil heads, divided into bays by stepped buttresses. The vestry incorporates a pair of short, trefoil-headed lights to the north and a similar, taller pair and a pointed doorway to the west. The chancel features a single pointed, trefoil-headed light with trefoil decoration above, and a similar window to the south. The east window has three lights with Geometrical tracery, and a corresponding two-light window appears three times in the nave’s south wall.

Inside, the three-bay 19th-century north arcade has pointed, double-chamfered arches, circular piers, and abaci. The chancel arch is pointed and double-chamfered, resting on squat, semi-circular responds with large 12th-century imposts. The impost on the south side is scalloped and reset, while the north side is fluted and likely original. A 19th-century pointed doorway opens from the north wall of the chancel into the vestry. All fittings are 19th century, with the exception of the font, which features a 12th-century circular bowl set on a moulded octagonal base.

Monumental inscriptions are present: a stone wall plaque to Richard Wing, died 1775, a plaque to Thomas Gibson, died 1806, and a plaque commemorating members of the Wilcox family, dated to the early 18th century. The Wilcox family plaque features fluted pilasters and a pediment.