St Nicholas' Church, Broadwey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas' Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Broadwey, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
St Nicholas' Church is a special Church of England church located in Broadwey, Dorset, England. It has very old parts from the Norman times, but most of what you see today was built in the 1800s. This church was the main church for Broadwey village until 1933. That's when Broadwey became part of the larger town of Weymouth.
In 1953, St Nicholas' Church was given a special "Grade II listed" status. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. Some old stone tombs and gravestones in the churchyard are also Grade II listed. These include memorials for the Firth, Melchior, Beale, Bartlett, and Nicholson families. You can also find a World War I memorial in the churchyard.
Contents
Church History: How it Changed Over Time
St Nicholas' Church has small pieces that date back to the 1100s, 1300s, and 1400s. However, most of the building was created in the 1800s. During this century, many parts of the church were rebuilt or changed. For example, the north aisle was added in 1815. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built in 1834.
More work happened between 1873 and 1874. The church was made bigger and some of the seating was changed. This work was designed by G. R. Crickmay from Weymouth. A new chancel (the area near the altar) and a vestry (a room for clergy) were also added.
Big Changes in 1901
The church was made even bigger and changed again in 1901. The architects were Messrs Crickmay & Sons, and the builder was Mr. Theophilus Conway. People had known for a while that the church needed to be larger. However, they didn't start raising money until 1900. This was after Colonel R. O. F. Steward of Nottington left £1,000 in his will for the church.
The church's rector, Rev. D. Long, held a meeting in December 1900. A building committee was formed to help with the project. They quickly raised another £600 in just one week! The total cost for this big project was £1,900.
As part of this work, the south wall of the nave was removed. This made space for a new aisle. This new aisle also included a special room for the organ, next to the chancel. These changes allowed the church to hold about 400 people. The new organ cost £270 and was built by Peter Conacher and Co from Huddersfield. The Dean of Salisbury, Allan Webb, officially opened the new aisle and organ on January 22, 1902. The church's old organ was moved to Holy Trinity Church in Bincombe.
Recent Updates
More changes were made to the church in the late 1900s. A Sunday school room was added in 1985. In 2001, the old wooden benches (pews) were taken out. The church was also redecorated and reorganized inside.
Church Design: What it Looks Like
St Nicholas' Church is built from Portland stone ashlar. This means it uses smooth, cut blocks of stone. The roof is made of slate. However, the north aisle uses rougher, unshaped stones in its walls and has a lead roof.
The church has a double bell turret, which is a small tower for bells. Inside, the walls are plain and painted white. The south aisle has a doorway that dates back to the 1100s. The font, which is used for baptisms, is made of Purbeck stone and also dates from the 1100s. The pulpit, where sermons are given, has five sides and is from the 1600s. The pews, or benches, are from the 1800s. Historic England, an organization that lists historic buildings, describes the church's style as "rather heavy neo-Norman." This means it looks like a newer version of the old Norman style.
