Church Of St Nicholas (Plumstead)

The Church of St Nicholas in Plumstead is a Grade II* listed building. It features a nave and aisles, a west tower, and a chancel. The current south aisle was originally the nave and dates back to the medieval period, with its west wall from the 12th century and the south wall from the 13th century, both featuring arched doorways and windows. There is a blocked 14th-century doorway at the east end of the south wall. The church is constructed of random rubble masonry, with some restored areas roughcast. The north aisle was added in the 15th century to the medieval nave and now serves as the present nave. Significant restoration occurred in 1867-1868 by C.H. Cooke, and further enlargement on the north side took place in 1907-1908 by Greenaway and Newberry in the Arts and Crafts Perpendicular style, with the new arcade matching the old. The chancel, built during the same period, is made of purplish brick with stone dressings and features a high-pitched tiled roof. The foundations of a medieval south transept are visible on the south side of the church. The tower, built into the west end of the church in 1664, has three stages and is made of brownish-red brick, with a corbelled stone cornice, a battlemented parapet, and angle turrets. It has simple window tracery made of moulded brick.

Inside, the church has a timber arch-braced collar-beam roof. The north aisle features a 15th-century four-bay arcade with hollow-chamfered arches on octagonal columns. Notable fittings include the high altar, altar, and baldacchino in the north-east chapel, as well as the font and clergy and choir stalls, all designed by Stephen Dykes Bower. The reredos painting is by Donald Towner, and the east window was created by Martin Travers, all dating from the post-war restoration of the church by T.F. Ford & Partners in 1959. There are also several 18th-century memorial tablets, including one dedicated to British Defence Engineer William Green, Bart. R.E.