St Nicholas Church, Nottingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Church of St Nicholas |
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St. Nicholas Church
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Charismatic Evangelical |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Nicholas |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Southwell and Nottingham |
| Province | Province of York |
St Nicholas Church, often called St Nic's, is a church in the middle of Nottingham, England. It belongs to the Church of England. Since 1953, this church has been a special building known as Grade II* listed. This means it's a very important historical building, not just for Nottingham but for the whole country.
Contents
History of St Nic's Church
St Nicholas Church is one of the oldest churches in Nottingham. It's one of only three medieval (meaning from the Middle Ages) Christian churches still standing in the city. The other two are St Peter's Church and St Mary's Church.
The Old Church and the Civil War
The first church of St Nicholas was built on this spot a very long time ago, between the 11th and 12th centuries. But this old church was destroyed in 1643 during a big war in England called the English Civil War.
During the war, soldiers who supported the King (called Royalists) used the church tower to attack Nottingham Castle. To stop them, the castle's governor, Colonel Hutchinson, ordered the church to be completely torn down. For 28 years, from 1643 to 1671, there was no St Nicholas Church in Nottingham.
Building the New Church
Work on a new church began in 1671, and it was finished in 1678. This is the church building you can see today!
The church has kept many old records. For example, books that record marriages, burials, and baptisms go all the way back to 1562. Other important papers, like lists of church property, date from 1671. The churchyard hasn't been used for burials since 1881.
St Nic's Today
Today, St Nicholas Church is still a busy church in Nottingham city centre. Many people from across the city attend, and it's especially popular with university students. The church is known for being a lively and welcoming place.
The Church Clock
The church has had a clock for a very long time. The first clock was put in place in 1699.
In 1830, a new clock was installed. This clock had actually been used before at the Nottingham Exchange, which was a building where merchants met. The special diagonal clock face you see today is also thought to have come from the Exchange at the same time.
Even though the clock mechanism was updated to an electric one in the 1970s, the original clock face from 1830 was kept. The old clock mechanism was given to the Nottingham Industrial Museum so people can still see it.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Nottinghamshire
- Listed buildings in Nottingham (Bridge ward)
