Church Of St Nicholas

Church of St. Nicholas

Parish church with 12th-century origins, but largely rebuilt in the 13th century when the nave, crossing and chancel were constructed. The west tower dates probably to the 14th century. The church was substantially restored in the 19th century, particularly the North Transept. The building is constructed of pebble stones, flint and limestone dressings with some clunch surviving in the window tracery, beneath plain tiled roofs.

The church retains its original cruciform plan, though the central tower was either never built or has collapsed. The West Tower, added in the 15th century, rises in three stages with crenellations and restored crocketed pinnacles, topped by a moulded main cornice. It stands on a chamfered plinth with three-stage diagonal buttressing. A restored 14th or 15th-century window with vertical tracery is set in the tower. The second stage contains a lancet with hollow moulded opening on each side, while the bell stage displays two cinquefoil openings beneath two-centred heads.

The nave features 15th-century restored fenestration. The south porch, also 15th-century, has a two-centred outer arch of clunch (much worn) with two-wave moulded orders, the inner arch carried on engaged shafts with embattled capitals. Beneath this lies a 13th-century inner arch of three hollow and roll moulded orders in a two-centred arch with two bands of dog tooth ornament, each order sitting on restored shafts with moulded capitals and holds water bases. The walls of the crosswing are visible above the eaves of the nave.

The South Transept is of similar materials and contains two restored 13th-century lancets in the west wall, a 15th-century window with vertical tracery (restored) in the south wall, and a blocked two-centred archway in the east wall of two chamfered orders on responds with half-octagonal moulded capitals and bases, which originally led to a South Transept chapel.

The 13th-century chancel contains two lancet windows in the south wall, one partly blocked by a 15th-century low side window opening. The south doorway is restored, as is the east window, which comprises three graduated lancets. Two smaller lancets appear in the north wall. A 12th-century window with a round head is set in the north wall of the nave.

Interior

The windows in the north wall of the nave have deep splays, unlike those in the south wall. The 13th-century arches at the crosswing are two-centred with two chamfered orders on half-octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases; the outer chamfer terminates in a stop. The west side of the arch facing the nave features two hollow and roll moulded orders. The blocked archway in the east wall of the South Transept displays the same hollow and roll moulding and dog tooth ornament as the inner archway of the porch. A rood loft opening is visible in the north wall of the chancel.

Two mid-18th-century gothic wall monuments stand in the chancel, one commemorating Miss Mary Ward (died 1756) and Thomas Weston Ward (died 1750). An early 18th-century white marble wall tablet is positioned in the north wall above these monuments. The early 18th-century communion rail features twisted balusters. Fragments of 14th-century wall painting remain at the crossing.

The font is early 12th-century and derives from the original church on the site. It comprises a square limestone bowl with lead-lined interior; the upper edge bears a band of saltire crosses and fleurons, the lower a band of volutes at the corners. It stands on a square stem with large stop-chamfered sides and a square base.