St Nicholas Church, Freefolk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas Church, Freefolk |
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St Nicholas Church from the south
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| OS grid reference | SU 488 486 |
| Location | Freefolk, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 16 May 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 13th century |
| Completed | 1703 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 36 feet (11.0 m) |
| Width | 15 feet 3 inches (4.6 m) |
| Materials | Stone, tiled roof |
St Nicholas Church is an old Anglican church in the small village of Freefolk, which is in Hampshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. It is listed as a Grade I building, meaning it's a very important historical site. The church is located south of the B3400 road and the River Test. It's about 2 kilometers east of Whitchurch.
Contents
A Look Back: History of St Nicholas Church
Records from the Domesday Book show that a church has been on this spot since at least the 11th century. The church building you see today was mostly built in the 1200s. In the 1400s, new windows and a special screen were added inside.
Later, in 1703, the inside of the church was updated. During the 1800s, the church in Freefolk joined with the church in a nearby village called Laverstoke. In 1896, a new, bigger church was built across the road. This new church, St Mary's, took over all the services.
St Nicholas Church was officially declared "redundant" on December 11, 1974. This means it was no longer needed for regular church activities. On October 27, 1976, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. They make sure this historic building is preserved for everyone to see.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church
The church is a single rectangular building. It measures about 11 meters long and 4.6 meters wide. It's built from stone pieces, with some parts covered in a smooth plaster called stucco. Brick supports, called buttresses, help hold up the walls. The roof is covered with tiles.
At the west end of the roof, there's a small wooden tower for a bell, called a bellcote. It has a pyramid-shaped roof covered in lead. The windows are in a style called "Perpendicular," which was popular in the 1400s. There are two windows on the north side and three on the south side, each with one light (a single tall opening). The window at the west end has two lights, and the east window has three. On the south side, you'll find a doorway. Above it, there's a stone plaque with the date 1703.
Inside the Church
Around the inside walls of the church, there's a decorative border called a cornice. This was added in 1703. On the east wall, next to the altar, you can see painted boards. These boards have the Lord's prayer and the Creed written on them. On the south wall, there's a large board with the Ten Commandments.
On the north wall, opposite the south door, you can see three layers of old wall paintings. Further east on this wall is a very large and fancy monument. It's from the Jacobean period (early 1600s) and honors Sir Richard Powlett, who died in 1614. The monument shows a statue of him lying down on a stone chest. Two smaller figures kneeling in front are his daughters. This monument is very detailed and is protected by metal railings.
At the west end of the church, there's a wooden screen from the 1400s. You can also find two hatchments (painted shields showing family coats of arms), a Royal arms from 1701, and a Victorian font (a basin used for baptisms).
