Church Of St Nicholas

The Church of St Nicholas was built around 1445 for Sir Walter Cotton. It has a cruciform plan with a west tower, and is of group value. The construction originally used flint and pebble rubble with some re-used Barnack stone and limestone dressings, and the interior details are in clunch. The roofs are covered in Welsh slate, with plain tile forming a pyramidal roof over the tower and a pent roof over the tower turret. Two large gault brick buttresses were added to the west elevation of the tower in the mid-19th century. The building otherwise lacks buttresses, except for the porch and the west end, which have angle buttresses. A continuous moulded plinth band runs around the building, and the gables have coped parapets. The tower is two stages high with an embattled parapet and round arched belfry windows, rebuilt in the west elevation. Most windows have three cinquefoil lights and quartrefoils, with labels; the east window and the north transept east window are exceptions, featuring windows of two lights. There are two 15th-century doors, including a doorway in the north wall with a cinquefoil stoup nearby. The interior features transept crossings with two bay arcades, providing access from the chancel and nave to memorial chapels. The nave and chancel roof is of six bays, with a plastered ceiling between the main arch braced trusses, which are supported on original carved corbels. A mid-15th century rood screen remains, featuring ogee arches. The benches are also 15th century, with carved poppy heads and rosettes. Some re-used panelling is present at the west end of the nave. Fragments of 15th-century stained glass survive. The font is likely from the 18th century, consisting of a simple bowl on a shafted pedestal. The chancel contains three weathered polished limestone tomb chests, and two wall monuments, recessed with brass indented plaques. A north transept monument commemorates Sir John Cotton, who died in 1593, featuring two recumbent figures and open strapwork ornament to the canopy. Similar monuments in the south transept are dedicated to Sir John Cotton, who died in 1689, and to Sir John Cotton and his wife, who died in 1620. A white marble wall monument to Sir John Cotton, who died in 1712, is attributed to Thomas Aday and includes two putti. Memorial stained-glass windows are also from the 15th century.