St Nicholas Church, Hardwicke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas Church |
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| 51°48′36″N 2°18′10″W / 51.8101284°N 2.3029116°W | |
| Location | Hardwicke, Gloucestershire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.hardwickechurch.info/ |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I* listed |
| Designated | 10 January 1955 |
| Architectural type | Norman |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 6 |
| Tenor bell weight | ~ |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Hardwicke |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
Saint Nicholas Church is a very old and important building in Hardwicke, Gloucestershire. It's a special kind of historic building called a grade I listed building, which means it's protected because of its history and beauty. This church is part of the Church of England.
The church is built from stone and shows off two main styles of building: early English and a later style called Perpendicular. It has a few main parts:
- The chancel is the area around the altar.
- The nave is the main part where people sit.
- There's a porch on the south side, which is like an entrance hall.
- A tall western tower holds six church bells and a clock.
Inside, you can see several old monuments dedicated to the Trye family. There's also a beautiful stained glass window on the east side. It remembers Mr and Mrs Fenwick. On the west side, there are three more windows. One of these is a memorial to Thomas Barwick Lloyd Baker.
Contents
History of St Nicholas Church
The story of Hardwicke church began a very long time ago. It was first built as a small chapel in 1092. Some people think it might even have been built on top of an even older church from the Anglo-Saxons!
Early Beginnings and Changes
The church is known for its Norman architecture style, which was popular after the Norman Conquest. In the early 1200s, parts of the church like the chancel, nave, and south aisle were rebuilt.
A very important event happened in 1350. The main altar was officially blessed by the Bishop of Worcester. Later, in the late 1200s or early 1300s, a place called Bermondsey Priory sold the church.
Adding New Features
In the early 1300s, the tall west tower was built. It has stairs inside and cool stone carvings called gargoyles along the top edge. A porch was also added around this time.
Towards the end of the 1300s, more features were added. These included a rood loft (a special platform inside the church) and several new windows. In the 1400s, a south chapel was built. Two windows with a special three-leaf shape, called trefoil-headed lights, were also added.
Name Change and Bells
Around 1680, a house was built near the churchyard. It was first made of timber with a thatched roof, but it has been rebuilt and is now a private home.
The church wasn't always called St Nicholas. In the late 1700s, it got its current name, but before that, it was known as St Marys.
The church bells have a history too! In 1703, there were four bells. Two more were added in 1819, and another in 1896.
Restorations and Updates
The church has been repaired and updated many times over the years. In the 1840s, a big restoration happened. The nave arcade (a row of arches) was replaced, and the east end of the chancel was rebuilt.
A much bigger restoration happened in 1878 by Waller and Son from Gloucester. During this work:
- A new north aisle was built.
- A chapel was added to the east end of the north aisle for a new organ.
- Old galleries (like balconies) inside the church were removed.
- The porch was moved from the north side to the south doorway.
In 1921, a special gate called a lychgate was opened at the churchyard entrance. It was built as a memorial to those who served in World War I.
The tower was repaired in 1927. Six of the seven bells were kept and put back in place. Finally, in 1938, the organ was moved to a new spot and given a new case.
