Description

ALCESTER CHURCH STREET
SP0857 (West side)
4/43 Church of St. Nicholas
01/02/67

GV II*

Church. Tower C13 below, C15 above (Buildings of England). Nave and aisles
1729-1730 by Edward and Thomas Woodward. Chancel, north and south chapels,
window tracery and restoration 1870 by Preedy. Tower lias ashlar with yellow
limestone parapet. Aisles, chancel and chapels limestone ashlar. Tower much
weathered, aisles extensively patched and re-faced. Nave and aisle roofs not
visible; chancel and chapels have tile roofs with coped gables. Nave and aisles,
chancel, north and south chapels, west tower. 5-bay aisles, 3-bay chancel.
Perpendicular west door in tower: moulded jambs and 4-centred arch under square
head; spandrels with blank shields. C18 double-leaf panelled doors. Tower has
setback west buttresses. Semi-octagonal stair turret abutting south aisle, with
small arched door. Moulded string courses at springing of west window arch and
bell stage. Cornice and parapet, probably C18, with pinnacles at corners and
centre of each side. 3-light Decorated west window with flowing tracery, above
door. Third stage has lancet on west and south sides, slit window on north.
2-light bell openings with much renewed reticulated tracery. Aisles have moulded
plinth, possibly C15 (VCH). Gothick west doorways with double leaf panelled
doors. Diagonal buttresses and buttresses between each bay, with C18 Gothic
panelled pinnacles. Crenellated parapet c.1870. Five 3-light windows with
4-centred heads and hood moulds, and tracery of 2 alternating designs. C13 style
chancel and chapels have angle buttresses with 2 offsets. Chancel has moulded
plinth. 5-light east window and hood mould continued across as string course.
Single trefoiled lancet to north and south. Chapels have north and south gables
respectively. Each has small arched east door; south chapel also has blocked
round opening. 3-light north and south windows. Geometric tracery and hood
moulds. Gables have stone crosses. Interior: Nave has 5-bay colonnades of stone
Tuscan columns and half columns on high bases; coved plaster ceiling. Aisles
have flat plaster ceilings. 2-centred triple chamfered tower arch. West window
has rere arch. C19 internal porch. C13 style moulded chancel arch with shafts
and inner order on colonnettes. Moulded arches chapel arches. Chancel has
arcades to chapels of one wide and 2 narrow arches on paired shafts with rings.
King post roofs with arched braces. String course at sill height. 2 sedilia and
piscina recess. Encaustic tile paving. Fittings: Pulpit and font 1870: stone
with relief carvings. North aisle screen has some re-used wood carvings of
c.1500 (VCH). Benefaction board, tower south wall: Dated 1683; triptych design
with 2 doors painted with inscription, and inside 4 scenes of acts of charity in
C16 style. Central section has list of charities on parchment. Gadrooned top
rail with modillion cornice, moulded bottom rail on brackets, and additional
rail below carved with flowers and foliage. Brass chandelier of 1733 in nave.
C19 stained glass. Monuments: Sir Fulke Greville (died 1559) and his wife;
effigies with remains of colouring. According to V.C.H. set on chest tomb with
inscription, corner shafts and 3-bay sides, shields and weepers. Formerly in
north aisle, but dismantled and not in situ at time of inspection. Francis,
Marquis of Hertford by Sir Francis Chantrey, south chapel. Signed and dated
1828. Half reclining figure on high base. Sir Hamilton Seymour, tower. Signed
and dated Gleichen 1882. Seated figure on pedestal. Wall monuments; John Brandis
(died 1724) by Edward Woodward, south aisle.
(V.C.H.: Warwickshire III, pp.17-18; Buildings of England: Warwickshire,
pp,59-60; Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and
Worcestershire 1884, p.698).

Listing NGR: SP0905257471

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17551347

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)