Saint Nicholas Church - St Nicholas Church Street, Warwick, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 52° 16.904 W 001° 34.925
30U E 596726 N 5793320
This 1785 church is located on the east side of Saint Nicholas Church Street.
Waymark Code: WMHMV5
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/24/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Charter Member BruceS
Views: 5

The church's website tells us of the history of the church:

A unique late 18th century church building and centre, St Nicholas Church guards the southern entrance of old Warwick. The present Church was built in 1785, replacing a decaying mediaeval church, the roots of which lay in a former Saxon nunnery on the site.

Few new churches were built at that time, after the short period of classical revival church building in the style of Wren. St Nicholas is an unusually fine example of Gothic revival architecture, pre-dating the Victorian excesses, and displaying a rare, delicate, simple style. This creates an unusual Church worship and community centre.

Internally the unusually fine columns support a squared capitol, from which rises a very shallow vaulted plaster ceiling. With only four free standing pillars, the essence of the building is a light and airy square space with large decorated style windows. Originally built with a small rounded apse, the former chancel arch has been filled in, hiding behind it a heavy later Victorian, dark chancel. This is now divided horizontally into two floors, creating valuable activity space, sustained by kitchen and toilet facilities.

The approach to the church through the space beneath the western spire leads to a ‘welcome’ area beneath the western organ gallery, more reminiscent of a Wesleyan chapel! This provides a seating and meeting area, with a removable glass screen to the main church space, with modern toilet and catering facilities, the latter with lifting shutters into the main church area.

The present Church is still regarded historically as the Castle’s Church; hence the Earl of Warwick is a patron. Connections with the Castle go back a long way and our links are still strong today, for example, our Choir sings on the Castle Tower at sunrise on Ascension Day.

The overall result is a 200 year old Gothic style people’s centre for worship and prayer, doubling as a pleasant area for events such as the Christmas bazaar, meetings, concerts, church parties, as well as the formal worship of a live church community in the 21st century.

The church is Grade I listed with the entry at the English Heritage website telling us:

Rebuilt in C18 on site of a medieval church. Steeple with porch at west end rebuilt 1748 perhaps by Job Collins and probably altered when body of church rebuilt l779-80 in a mixed Perpendicular and Flamboyant style by Thomas Johnson of Warwick. Nave with wide high aisles forming nearly square rectangle. Chancel added 1869-70 in Decorated style by John Gibson. An important feature of the old town approached from Castle Bridge. Interior contains 2 carved wall monuments in porch, 1656. West gallery. Brass of 1424, carved monument of 1734 with putti and cherubim.

Active Church: Yes

School on property: No

Date Built: 01/01/1785

Service Times: Sunday 10am

Website: [Web Link]

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Recent Visits/Logs:
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Alancache visited Saint Nicholas Church - St Nicholas Church Street, Warwick, UK 10/20/2017 Alancache visited it
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