St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester, is a redundant
Anglican
church in Westgate Street
in the city of Gloucester
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. Its truncated spire is a landmark in the city centre.
was extended in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1643 during the Siege of Gloucester
in the Civil War
the spire suffered a direct hit by cannon fire. It was reduced in height and capped in 1783 by John Bryan. In 1865 the church was restored
by John Jaques and Son, and it was repaired following a fire in 1901. The tower was stabilized in 1927, and between 1935 and 1938 the north aisle
was rebuilt and the church was re-roofed. After the church was closed in 1967, it was vested in the Redundant Churches Fund (the forerunners of the Churches Conservation Trust) in 1975, and repairs have since been carried out. The church was declared redundant on 7 May 1971, and was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 25 June 1975.
with slate
roofs. Its plan consists of a six-bay
nave
and a two-bay chancel
. On the south side of the nave at its west end is a two-storey porch. To the east of this, extending from the third bay of the nave to the first bay of the chancel, is the south aisle, and to the east of this is a small porch leading to a priest's door. At the west end of the church is a tower with a truncated spire. On the north side, against the side of the tower is another porch. From the first to the fifth bay of the nave is the north aisle, and at its east end is a wider chapel, forming a transept
. On the north side of the chancel is a vestry.
The tower has diagonal corner buttress
es, and is divided into three stages by string courses. There is a three-light window in each of the outer faces in the bottom stage, and also in all the faces of the middle stage. In the top stage are two-light bell openings on each side, flanked by niches
. Above all these windows and bell openings are crocket
ed ogee
gable
ts flanked by pinnacles; they all contain Perpendicular tracery. At the top of the tower is a battlement
ed parapet
with pierced tracery
panels, and pinnacle
s at the corners. Inset on the tower is an octagonal spire with a pinnacle attached to each of its diagonal faces. On each cardinal
face is a two-light lucarne
. The upper part of the spire has been removed and around its top is a pinnacled coronet
. On the summit of the truncated spire is a lead ogee cap with ball finial
. On the south side of the tower, between the bottom and middle stages is a clock carried on a bracket.
The two-storey south porch is gabled and has an arched entrance containing iron gates. Inside the porch is a 12th-century arched doorway over which is a tympanum
containing a carving depicting the Agnus Dei and foliage. The bays of the aisles are separated by buttresses, and each bay contains a three-light window. At the east end of the church is a five-light window with Perpendicular tracery.
. The nave has an open timber roof. The details of the columns and arches of the arcades
vary, some being Norman
in style, and others Gothic
. On the north and south walls of the chancel are squints
, and on the south wall are a piscina
and a credence table
. The chancel is floored with encaustic tile
s. At the east end of the south aisle is the former timber front of the west gallery, which had been installed there in 1621 and moved to this position in 1924. Over the south doorway are the Royal arms
of Charles II
. The remainder of the fittings date from the 19th century. The memorials include a chest tomb with coloured effigies
of Alderman
John Walton, who died in 1636, and his wife. The two-manual
organ was built in 1831 by Gray and Davison. The ring
consists of six bells, the oldest two of which were cast in about 1499. The other bells are one cast in 1608 by John Baker, two in 1636 by Roger I Purdue, and one in 1725 by Abraham II Rudhall
.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in Westgate Street
Westgate, Gloucester
The Westgate area of Gloucester is centred on Westgate Street, one of the four main streets of Gloucester and one of the oldest parts of the city.-Notable buildings:...
in the city of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. Its truncated spire is a landmark in the city centre.
History
The church was built in or around 1190. By 1203 it was known as "St. Nicholas of the Bridge at Gloucester". It was largely rebuilt in the 13th century, retaining some of its earlier features. Further alterations were made in the 15th century, and the west tower and spire were added. The spire was originally 200 feet (61 m) high. During the 16th century, the parish was the wealthiest in the city. The northeast vestryVestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
was extended in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1643 during the Siege of Gloucester
Siege of Gloucester
The Siege of Gloucester was an engagement in the First English Civil War. It took place between August 3 and September 5, 1643, between the defending Parliamentarian garrison of Gloucester and the besieging army of King Charles I. The siege ended with the arrival of a relieving Parliamentarian army...
in the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the spire suffered a direct hit by cannon fire. It was reduced in height and capped in 1783 by John Bryan. In 1865 the church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
by John Jaques and Son, and it was repaired following a fire in 1901. The tower was stabilized in 1927, and between 1935 and 1938 the north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
was rebuilt and the church was re-roofed. After the church was closed in 1967, it was vested in the Redundant Churches Fund (the forerunners of the Churches Conservation Trust) in 1975, and repairs have since been carried out. The church was declared redundant on 7 May 1971, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 25 June 1975.
Exterior
St Nicholas' is constructed in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roofs. Its plan consists of a six-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a two-bay chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. On the south side of the nave at its west end is a two-storey porch. To the east of this, extending from the third bay of the nave to the first bay of the chancel, is the south aisle, and to the east of this is a small porch leading to a priest's door. At the west end of the church is a tower with a truncated spire. On the north side, against the side of the tower is another porch. From the first to the fifth bay of the nave is the north aisle, and at its east end is a wider chapel, forming a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
. On the north side of the chancel is a vestry.
The tower has diagonal corner buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, and is divided into three stages by string courses. There is a three-light window in each of the outer faces in the bottom stage, and also in all the faces of the middle stage. In the top stage are two-light bell openings on each side, flanked by niches
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
. Above all these windows and bell openings are crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ed ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
ts flanked by pinnacles; they all contain Perpendicular tracery. At the top of the tower is a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
with pierced tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
panels, and pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s at the corners. Inset on the tower is an octagonal spire with a pinnacle attached to each of its diagonal faces. On each cardinal
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
face is a two-light lucarne
Lucarne
A lucarne is a small dormer window that is built on a spire or roof during the Gothic and Romanesque time period....
. The upper part of the spire has been removed and around its top is a pinnacled coronet
Coronet
A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent...
. On the summit of the truncated spire is a lead ogee cap with ball finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
. On the south side of the tower, between the bottom and middle stages is a clock carried on a bracket.
The two-storey south porch is gabled and has an arched entrance containing iron gates. Inside the porch is a 12th-century arched doorway over which is a tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
containing a carving depicting the Agnus Dei and foliage. The bays of the aisles are separated by buttresses, and each bay contains a three-light window. At the east end of the church is a five-light window with Perpendicular tracery.
Interior
Inside the tower is a lierne vaultLierne (vault)
A Lierne in Gothic rib vaulting is an architectural term for a tertiary rib spanning between two other ribs, instead of from a springer, or to the central boss...
. The nave has an open timber roof. The details of the columns and arches of the arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
vary, some being Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
in style, and others Gothic
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
. On the north and south walls of the chancel are squints
Hagioscope
A hagioscope or squint, in architecture, is an opening through the wall of a church in an oblique direction, to enable the worshippers in the transepts or other parts of the church, from which the altar was not visible, to see the elevation of the host.Hagioscopes were also sometimes known as...
, and on the south wall are a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
and a credence table
Credence table
A Credence table is a small side table in the sanctuary of a Christian church which is used in the celebration of the Eucharist. Etymology: from latin credens, -entis, believer)....
. The chancel is floored with encaustic tile
Encaustic tile
Encaustic tiles are ceramic tiles in which the pattern or figure on the surface is not a product of the glaze but of different colors of clay. They are usually of two colors but a tile may be composed of as many as six. The pattern is inlaid into the body of the tile, so that the design remains as...
s. At the east end of the south aisle is the former timber front of the west gallery, which had been installed there in 1621 and moved to this position in 1924. Over the south doorway are the Royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. The remainder of the fittings date from the 19th century. The memorials include a chest tomb with coloured effigies
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
John Walton, who died in 1636, and his wife. The two-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was built in 1831 by Gray and Davison. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of six bells, the oldest two of which were cast in about 1499. The other bells are one cast in 1608 by John Baker, two in 1636 by Roger I Purdue, and one in 1725 by Abraham II Rudhall
Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester, England, who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be...
.