Parish Church Of St Nicholas

The parish church of St Nicholas, originally dating to 1421-3 (and dedicated in 1423), is a substantial building that now serves as diocesan offices. It was significantly rebuilt after a fire, re-dedicated in 1624, and restored and refenestrated between 1860 and 1862. In the 1970s, the west end and aisles were partitioned to create office space. The church is constructed of coursed rubble ragstone, with a Kent tile roof.

The west end features a northwest tower, originally detached to allow for a processional route. The tower is in three stages, with a moulded west doorway now fitted with fixed glazing, and string courses incorporating flint/ragstone chequerboard decoration to the lower stage and a band of knapped flint above. It has a cusped lancet window to the first stage and a similar belfry opening, both square-headed under hood moulds. A small light is located to the southwest of the stair. The tower parapet has been removed, and a vertical masonry joint marks the division between the southwest angle of the tower and the later wall connecting it to the north aisle. The west wall of the nave is gabled, with a similar doorway to the tower and a 19th-century five-light Decorated window, framed by buttresses with set-offs. The south aisle has 19th-century perpendicular and Decorated three-light windows punctuated by 15th-century buttresses, and a parapet that returns along the south side. The chancel has undergone later alterations and includes brick patching; the random rubble masonry suggests later rebuilding rather than earlier features. An 18th or 19th-century five-light east window is present.

Internally, a five-bay arcade was rebuilt after 1624, featuring tall Tuscan columns supporting equilateral pointed arches with quadrant moulding. The chancel arch, resting on Tuscan half-columns, has cyma mouldings. A plaster ceiling and a coffered chancel ceiling, dating to the late 18th or early 19th century, are also present. Aisles are divided from the chancel by a cornice bearing a frieze of swags, supported on panelled pilasters, and with small fan vaults, all dating to around 1800. There are two small, rural monuments with kneeling figures: one for Thomas Rocke (died 1635), signed by John and Matthias Christmas, and another for George Wilson (died 1629). A monument by Sir Robert Taylor (not inspected) is mentioned in Buildings of England. The west window contains brightly colored glass by Charles Gibbs. A brightly colored sandstone octagonal font, dating from the early 19th century, is also present.