Great Yarmouth Minster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Minster Church of St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth Minster, from the north
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Churchmanship	Modern Liberal Anglo-Catholic
History
Founded	1101
Founder(s)	Herbert de Losinga
Dedication	St Nicholas
Consecrated	1119
Specifications
Bells	12 + 1 (English Change Ringing)
Tenor bell weight	30–2–4
Administration
Parish	Great Yarmouth
Deanery	Great Yarmouth
Archdeaconry	Norfolk
Diocese	Norwich
Province	Canterbury

The Minster Church of St Nicholas is a very important church in Great Yarmouth, a town in Norfolk, England. It's known as a 'Minster' and is the main church for the local area. This church was built a very long time ago, during the Norman period. It is the third largest parish church in England!

The church was started in 1101 by Herbert de Losinga, who was the first Bishop of Norwich. It was officially opened in 1119. The church has a cross shape with a tower in the middle. Over many years, parts of the building were changed and updated. The main part of the church, called the nave, is about 26 feet (8 meters) wide. The whole church is about 236 feet (72 meters) long.

In December 2011, the Bishop of Norwich officially named it a Minster Church. This church is not just for religious services. It's also a busy place for many other local events. You can find concerts by choirs and orchestras here, as well as art shows. During festivals, the church even opens its doors for stalls and traders. It is also a Grade-II* listed building, which means it's a very important historic building.

The Church Building

The Minster Church of St Nicholas is probably the oldest building in Great Yarmouth. It's also the most famous landmark you can see in the town. The church is located right in the middle of Great Yarmouth. It is close to the house where Anna Sewell, the author of Black Beauty, once lived.

Inside the Church

The main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt during the time of King John. This part of the church has columns that are alternately octagonal (eight-sided) and circular. The side parts of the church, called aisles, were made wider about 50 years later. This means the nave is now the narrowest part of the building, which is quite unusual!

Churchyard Areas

Right next to the church are two main graveyard areas. The 'Old Yard' is directly behind the church to the east. The much larger 'New Yard' stretches for about half a mile to the north.

Priory School Building

Inside the churchyard, you'll find the original building of the priory school. This building is now called the Priory Centre. It has a café, a support center, and an information point for visitors. A new school, St Nicholas Priory Church of England VA Primary School, is located nearby in the town center.

History of the Minster

The Minster Church has a long and interesting history, with many changes over the centuries.

Early Years

A grand front with towers and decorations was built between 1330 and 1338. However, a terrible plague stopped further building plans. In the 1500s, some of the church's decorative metal plates were melted down. Even the gravestones were cut up to be used as grindstones.

At one time, there were 18 small chapels inside the church. Some of these were looked after by guilds (groups of workers), and others by private families. During the English Reformation, these chapels were taken down. The church's valuable religious items were sold. The money from these sales was used to make the harbor channel wider.

A Divided Church

During the English Revolution, the church was divided. Different religious groups used different parts of the building. The Independents used the chancel, and the Presbyterians used the north aisle. Other church members were allowed to use the rest of the building. Brick walls were put up inside to separate these areas. These walls stayed until 1847.

Later, in 1864, the tower was repaired. The east end of the chancel was rebuilt. Between 1869 and 1870, the south aisle was rebuilt. In 1884, the south transept, the west end of the nave, and the north aisle were also restored.

Recent Times

During the Second World War, the church was bombed and almost completely destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt by an architect named Stephen Dykes Bower. The church was officially opened again in 1961. While the Minster was being rebuilt, services were held at St Peter's Church.

On October 2, 2011, the Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, officially made St Nicholas a Minster Church. This was celebrated on December 9, 2011, during the town's Civic Carol Service. Its full name is now the Minster Church of St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth.

On October 13, 2014, a special memorial stone was put up. It remembers the thirteen people who died in the 1981 Bristow Helicopters Westland Wessex crash.

The Organ

The church has a large pipe organ. This organ was brought from St Mary The Boltons church in London in 1960. It replaced the old organ that was destroyed during the bombing in the Second World War. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.

Organists of the Minster

Many talented musicians have served as organists at the Minster Church over the years. Some of them include:

• Dr. Musgrave Heighington, 1733–1746
• John Christian Mantel, 1748–1761
• Henry Cricheley, 1761–1790
• Richard Eaton, 1790–1793
• Isaac Lewis, 1793–1834
• Joseph Baxfield, 1834–1838
• George Warne, 1843–1856
• Henry Stonex, 1856–1895
• Haydon Hare, 1895 – 1944
• Benjamin Angwin, 1961–1972
• David Price, 1972–1976
• Barry Waterlow, 2001–2005
• John Stephens, 2006–2017
• Martyn Marshall, 2017-

Assistant Organists

The church has also had many assistant organists, including:

• Constance Mary Hinds, 1929–1940
• Peter Angwin, 1964–1966
• Peter Seaman, –1986
• Paul Winston, 1986–1990
• Peter Clifford, 1990–
• Christopher Myhill, 1996–1999
• John Stephens, 1999–2001

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de San Nicolás (Great Yarmouth) para niños

• List of ecclesiastical restorations and alterations by J. L. Pearson