St Nicolas Church, North Stoneham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Nicolas Church, North Stoneham |
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| St. Nicolas Parish Church | |
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The church from the southeast
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 St. Nicolas Church, North Stoneham
Location in Hampshire
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| 50°57′13″N 1°22′26″W / 50.9535°N 1.3740°W | |
| Location | Stoneham Lane, North Stoneham, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | nsab.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 15th century |
| Dedication | St Nicolas |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building - Grade II* |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic survival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ashlar |
| Administration | |
| Parish | North Stoneham and Bassett |
| Deanery | Southampton |
| Archdeaconry | Bournemouth |
| Diocese | Winchester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Nicolas Church is an Anglican church located in North Stoneham, Hampshire, England. This historic building has been a place of worship for a very long time, possibly over 1,000 years! It is famous for its unique "One Hand Clock" from the 1600s and for special memorials to important people.
Contents
Where is St. Nicolas Church Located?
The church stands on Stoneham Lane, right next to what used to be Stoneham Park. It's in a quiet, green area between the towns of Eastleigh and Southampton. This makes it feel like it's in the countryside, even though it's near busy places.
A Look at the Church's History
The area around North Stoneham has a long history, going back to the early 800s. It was once connected to Hyde Abbey in Winchester. Today, St. Nicolas Church is one of three churches serving the combined area of North Stoneham and Bassett.
The church building itself is very old, with parts dating back to medieval times. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historical site. Experts believe it was built on the site of a 13th-century church, and maybe even an older Saxon chapel.
Much of the church was rebuilt between 1590 and 1610. It was later repaired in 1826 and again in the late 1800s. A new room, called a vestry, was added in 2008.
The Lych Gate: A Special Entrance
The church's entrance gate, called a lych-gate, was built in 1909. It was made to remember Emily Macarthur, whose husband was the Bishop of Southampton at the time.
What's really cool about this gate is that it was built using oak wood from a famous ship, HMS Thunderer. This ship fought in the important Battle of Trafalgar!
Exploring the Church's Outside
The church looks quite interesting from the outside. It has a tower at the west end and three gables (pointed roof sections) at the east end. The walls are made of ashlar stone, which is finely cut stone.
Look closely at the western wall of the tower, and you'll see a window from the 1200s. It has three tall, narrow lancet windows. This window was likely part of an even older church on this spot and was reused when the tower was built around the 1500s.
The windows on the sides of the church are from the 1500s. They have been repaired many times over the years. The roof is made of red tiles and has three sections.
The Tower and its Bells
The church tower is tall and made of stone. It has openings for bells on three sides and a small, round staircase tower on one corner. This tower was built around 1600.
St. Nicolas Church has a long history of bell ringing. It has ten bells, which were once the lightest set of ten bells in the country! The frames holding the bells include parts from the 1600s, showing how old the tradition is here.
In 2006, the church needed to raise money to fix the bell frame. They even had a fun event where teddy bears parachuted to help raise funds!
The Famous One-Hand Clock
On the east side of the tower, you'll see something very unusual: a church clock with only one hand! This "One Hand Clock" was put in place in the early 1600s. Back then, people mostly cared about the hour, not the exact minute.
The clock has been repaired many times. In 1995, people from a local club helped raise money to fix it by donating £2.50 for every minute needed for the repair.
Inside the Church: What to See
The church has a main area called the nave and a special area for the altar called the chancel. There are also side sections called aisles that run along the length of the church.
The walls inside the aisles are made of stone. Some parts of the church, like the pillars, are very old, possibly from the 1400s. You can also see an organ, which was built around 1935 and has been updated several times.
The church's font, used for baptisms, is from the 1400s. It has an eight-sided bowl made of Purbeck marble.
Special Windows
The church once had beautiful windows from 1826 that showed the family history of the Fleming family. Sadly, these windows were damaged during a bomb blast in the Second World War. The broken pieces have been put back together in the windows.
The Porch and its History
For a while, the church porch held two special memorial panels from the First World War. These panels were made by a famous artist named Eric Gill. They were moved to the church while their original home, the Stoneham War Shrine, was being repaired. They were returned to the War Shrine in 2010.
Important Memorials and Tombs
St. Nicolas Church is home to several interesting memorials that tell stories of the past.
The Slavonian Tombstone
On the floor of the chancel, there's a very old gravestone for merchants from Slavonia (a region in Eastern Europe). This stone is from 1491. It has a shield with a double-headed eagle and a message in Latin that says, "The Burial Place of the Guild of Slavonians."
This tombstone tells a fascinating story. In the 1400s, a huge fair was held in Winchester. It was one of the biggest fairs in Europe! Merchants from many countries came to trade. Some Slavonian merchants formed a group, or "guild." In 1491, they bought a vault in North Stoneham church. This was so they would have a place to bury any of their members who died while in England. Sadly, they needed it soon after, when highwaymen attacked their trade group and killed two of them.
Admiral Lord Hawke's Memorial
In the south aisle, there is a grand memorial dedicated to Admiral Lord Hawke. He was a very important naval leader in the 1700s. The memorial shows a detailed picture of a famous naval battle, the Battle of Quiberon Bay, which happened in 1759.
Lord Hawke lived nearby and chose to be buried here with his wife. His son had this beautiful white marble memorial made in 1783. It includes a carving of the painting "The Battle of Quiberon Bay." In 2009, the church held special events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of this battle. There is also a memorial to his wife, Catherine.
The Sir Thomas Fleming Monument
At the east end of the south aisle, you'll find a large monument to Sir Thomas Fleming. He was a very important judge who helped with the trial of Guy Fawkes in 1605. Sir Thomas died in 1613.
This memorial is sometimes called "the floating Flemings" because it shows Sir Thomas and his wife lying on their sides in their fancy robes. Below them are kneeling figures of their six sons and two daughters who were still alive when he died. The monument has a long inscription that tells about his life, his important jobs, and his family.
There are also other memorials in the church for different members of the Fleming family.
St. Nicolas Church Today
Even though it's in a quiet area, St. Nicolas Church has a dedicated group of people who attend services regularly.
Church Leaders
The church shares its clergy (ministers) with two other churches in the area: St. Michael and All Angels and All Saints' Church. The current main minister, Reverend Sheena Williams, started her role in 2017. She grew up in Scotland and studied law before becoming a minister. She works with other assistant ministers and lay leaders to serve the three churches.
The Old Rectory
The old rectory (the house where the church's minister used to live) is from the 1800s. It's across the lane from the church and is also a Grade II listed building. Today, it's used as an office building. Even the old gateway to the rectory is a listed historical site!
Images for kids
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2008 view of the church, showing the new vestry
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The "One Hand Clock"
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The tomb of Sir Thomas Fleming and his wife
