Church Of St Nicholas

The Church of St Nicholas is a parish church located in Sandhurst. The nave and chancel date from the 13th and 14th centuries, while the aisles and west tower were added in the 14th century. The church underwent significant restoration, with the chancel largely rebuilt by R.C. Carpenter in 1875. It is constructed of sandstone and features a tiled roof.

The church comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles, a north chantry chapel, a north porch, and a 19th-century south porch. The west tower, built in three stages, has a renewed reticulated window on the first stage, a tall shallow angled buttress, louvred lancets at the bell stage, and an arched doorcase with a hood moulding. The top of the tower was replaced with brickwork in the 16th century. The north and south aisles include the south aisle, which has three restored triple cinquefoiled light windows featuring Kentish tracery. The nave has a clerestorey with lancets.

Inside, the west tower opens by arches to the north and south into lean-to aisles, with semi-octagonal responds featuring sunk quadrants. There is a 14th-century sandstone font adorned with Decorated tracery patterns on each face. The nave has four bays with a 14th-century arcade supported by octagonal piers, except for the easternmost pier, which was rebuilt in the 19th century. The clerestorey lancets are likely from the 13th century. The north aisle features a roll-moulded roof and rood stairs. The Chantry Chapel, also known as Betherynden Chapel, was built around 1450 by Sir Richard Betherynden of Old Place.

The south aisle contains an east window with stained glass depicting St Michael from around 1450, which was reset from the Chantry Chapel. The south window has remnants of 15th-century glass also from the Chantry Chapel, depicting St George, a priest, and an abbess. There is a piscina between these windows and a stoup on one side of the south door. The four-bay chancel has a 14th-century aumbry but was heavily restored by R.C. Carpenter, featuring a 19th-century barrel-vaulted ceiling. A wall tablet from the 18th century commemorates members of the Hodson family, complete with a swansneck pediment, urn in the center, and console brackets. The church houses three bells dating from the 17th century; the oldest, a 15th-century bell, is no longer in use. Notably, Titus Oates began his clerical career here as an assistant curate.