St Nicolas Church, Abingdon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicolas's Church |
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| Parish Church of St Nicolas | |
St Nicolas's Church in Bridge Street
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | St. Nicolas's Church, Abingdon |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Nicolas |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Norman, Decorated Gothic, Perpendicular Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of Saint Nicolas is an old church in Abingdon, a town in Oxfordshire, England. It's part of the Church of England. This church has a long history and many interesting stories.
Contents
Church History
The Church of Saint Nicolas was built around 1170. It was added near the entrance of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Mary. While the monks used the main abbey church, St Nicolas's was for their workers and people living nearby. The oldest part of the church still standing is thought to be from 1180.
Why "Saint Nicolas"?
The Normans, who came from France and settled in England, helped spread the popularity of Saint Nicholas. That's why many churches in England are named after him. The first official mention of this church was in 1177. This was in a decision about tithes (a type of payment to the church) made by Pope Alexander III.
Famous Connections
A famous person named Edmund of Abingdon used to worship here when he was a child. His mother was also first buried at this church. There's even evidence that a school used a room in St Nicolas's Church a long time ago. This school might have been an early version of what is now Abingdon School. Later, in the 1400s, a tower was added to the church, and the main worship area (called the chancel) was rebuilt.
The Parish of St Nicolas
A parish is like a local church area. St Nicolas's Church became its own parish in 1372. Before that, it was part of the larger parish of St Helen's. The new St Nicolas parish included different areas like Fitzharris, Northcourt, and Bayworth. It also included a mill on the River Ock and the abbey grounds.
Why a New Parish?
This new parish was created to help the Abbey get more money. This was needed after a very difficult time in history, including a terrible sickness called the Black Death and damage to the Abbey in 1327. In 1989, the two parishes, St Nicolas and St Helen's, joined together again. Now they form one big church area for Abingdon.
For local government purposes, the St Nicolas parish joined with Abingdon St Helen's in 1894 to form the single town area of Abingdon.
