Parish Church Of St Nicholas

Parish Church of St Nicholas

This parish church dates from the 12th century, with the majority of the structure built in the early 13th century. Aisles were added around 1230, the chancel's east and north walls were rebuilt, and the upper stage of the tower dates from the 14th century. The south porch was built in the 15th century and altered in the 16th century.

The church is constructed of rubblestone with ashlar dressings, featuring old tile roofs except over the aisles which are leaded. The plan comprises a two-bay chancel, an aisled three-bay nave, a south porch, and a saddle-backed roofed west tower.

The chancel bays are separated by stepped buttresses. The east window contains three lights with reticulated tracery. The north side has two lancets in deeply splayed reveals. The south side features a window of around 1360 with two trefoiled ogee lights under a square head, with moulded jambs and label. The west bay contains a lancet, followed by a 13th-century doorway, then a single-light 15th-century window with transom and low side window. Sill and lancet arch springing string courses run along the walls, with a coped parapet above.

The north aisle has an east window of two lancet lights dating from the 16th century. The north wall displays, from east to west: three arched and cusped lights with square head, a narrow lancet, a 12th-century round-headed window set high up, an early 13th-century door with chamfered jambs and round arch, and a two-light window. The west wall has a two-light window. The south aisle has an east lancet with corbel at apex and a four-light south window with hollow chamfer mullions, flat head and jambs, dating from the 17th century. The porch has a low-pitched 15th-century gable beneath a steeper 16th-century gable, with a three-light west window featuring a flat head and three cusped lights with heavy moulding. The west wall of the south aisle has a quatrefoil window above a lancet. One three-light dormer exists at the west end of the nave.

The west tower comprises two stages. The lower stage has a 13th-century west lancet, while the upper storey has single-light windows. A string course runs below the bell chamber and supports the saddle-backed roof. The north, south and east windows contain two trefoiled ogee lights. The west window dates from the 13th century and features two trefoil lights with tympana under pointed lancet heads.

The interior reveals the following features. The chancel has a sill string along the north and south walls and a piscina in an arched recess of the south wall. The 13th-century chancel arch was altered in the 15th century and comprises two moulded orders. The caps are scalloped to the north and decorated with stiff-leaf foliage to the south. Moulded abaci and chamfered jambs complete the arch.

The nave arcades of three bays date from the 13th century but display different details. Moulded caps sit on cylindrical columns with two chamfered orders. The tower arch consists of two chamfered orders. One capital of the south arcade is foliate. The 13th-century south doorway has two orders—the inner moulded and the outer chamfered—with a moulded east cap and foliage to the west cap. A 17th-century outer door has been added. A 13th-century piscina in the south aisle and a 14th-century stoup are present.

The 15th-century chancel roof features collar trusses that are straight braced with ashlar pieces and include one tie beam. The nave roof retains four old tie beams. The 16th-century porch roof has carved and moulded tie beams.

The 13th-century font comprises a plain circular bowl and stem with a moulded base. The chancel east window contains 1914 glass. The north aisle windows feature Comper glass from 1918 and 1933.

A monument on the north side of the chancel commemorates Thomas Tipping (died 1595) and displays a Corinthian order on Ionic supports with black marble columns and a complete entablature. Between the lower columns are kneelers, while the back contains an inscription in a strapwork frame with 'Aztec' figures. A shield bearing arms sits above the monument.

Wall tablets commemorate Thomas Phillips (died 1704) and Elizabeth Phillips (died 1735), both featuring architectural designs. The Elizabeth Phillips tablet includes 'curtains' in its decoration.

The church retains a 17th-century pulpit with a canopy enriched with guilloche ornament and 17th-century pews. Most other fittings date from the period when Canon Vernon Staley served as rector (1911–1933), including the font cover, tester above the altar, altar rails, lectern, benches, and the west gallery.