Church Of St Nicholas

SP61NW PIDDINGTON THAME ROAD (West side)

11/136 Church of St. Nicholas

07/12/66

GV II*

Church. Late C13, C15 and C16; restored 1855 and by J.O. Scott in 1898. Random and coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings; old plain-tile and Welsh-slate roofs. Chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and west tower. C13 chancel, with plinth and stepped angle buttresses, has an east window of 3 grouped trefoiled lancets below an outer arch, and, to south, has 2 similar 2-light windows with trefoils in their heads; all have engaged shafts supporting tracery rolls; to north is a similar lancet plus a 2-light C15 window, and there is a C14 priest's door to south. South aisle has 2 plain lancets, possibly re-used, plus a C14 window of 2 ogee-headed lights; a similar window facing west may be C19. C19 porch, with square traceried openings, shelters a C14 doorway with continuous moulding. North wall of nave has heavy buttresses, 2 square-headed windows (one with Perpendicular tracery) and a single light contemporary with the tower. 2-stage C16 tower, with diagonal buttresses and crenellated parapet, has single-light bell-chamber openings and 2-light west window, all with 3-centred arches, and has a 4-centre arched west doorway with shields in the spandrels. Interior: chancel windows have internal shafts and trefoiled rere arches, to east with the cusps pierced with trefoils. The C14 two-seat sedilia is sumptuously carved with foliage and ballflower ornament and has cinqufoiled arches, tall canopies and pinnacles; matching canopies to the piscina and the altered priest's door have been mutilated. An Easter sepulchre to north is carved with winged cherubs. C19 chancel arch. 4-bay C14 south arcade has octagonal piers with moulded capitals. Medieval octagonal chalice-shaped font. C18 turned communion rails. Monuments include 3 early-C18 Baroque wall tablets, 2 carved with weeping figures, to members of the Walker family. Fragmentary painting of St. Christopher on north wall of nave. (V.C.H.: Oxfordshire, Vol.V, p.257; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p.731).

Listing NGR: SP6399916980