Church Of St Nicholas

TQ72NE 1350-0/5/179

SANDHURST CHURCH ROAD CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS

20/06/67

GII* Parish church. Nave and chancel C13 and C14,aisles and west tower C14,heavily restored and chancel largely rebuilt by R.C.Carpenter in 1875.Built of sandstone with tiled roof.Nave,chancel,west tower,north and south aisles with north chantry chapel,north porch and C19 south porch.C14 west tower in three stages with renewed reticulated window to first stage and tall shallow angled buttress,louvred lancets to bell stage and arched doorcase with hood moulding.Top replaced in C16 brickwork.North and south aisles,the south aisle having three restored triple cinque foiled light windows with Kentish tracery.Plinth.Nave has clerestorey with lancets.C19 north porch,wooden on sandstone base with tiled roof.Interior:West tower opens by arches to north and south into lean to aisles and has semi-octagonal responds with sunk quadrant.C14 sandstone font with Decorated tracery pattern on each face.Nave of four bays with C14 arcade with octagonal piers of two dates,except for easternmost,piers rebuilt in C19.Clerestorey lancets are probably C13.North aisle has roll-moulded roof and rood stairs. Chantry Chapel or Betherynden Chapel built C.1450 by Sir Richard Betherynden of Old Place.South aisle has in east window stained glass depicting St Michael of C.1450,reset from the Chantry Chapel.South window has remains of C15 glass,also from the Chantry Chapel,depicting St George,a priest and an abbess.Piscina between them and stoup on one side of south door.Four bay chancel has C14 aumbry but was heavily restored by R.C.Carpenter.C19 barrel vaulted ceiling.C18 wall tablet to members of Hodson family,swansneck pediment with urn in centre and console brackets.Three bells date from the C17,the oldest(No. 5)a C15 one is no longer used. Titus Oates began his clerical career here as an assistant curate.(West Kent and the Weald).

Listing NGR: TQ7905427314