St Nicolas Church, Pevensey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Nicolas' Church
The church from the west-northwest in 2023
50°49′11″N 0°20′12″E / 50.8196°N 0.3368°E / 50.8196; 0.3368
Location	Church Lane, Pevensey, East Sussex BN24 5LD
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Traditional Anglo-Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	12th/13th century
Dedication	Saint Nicholas
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	30 August 1966
Style	Early English Gothic
Administration
Parish	Pevensey
Deanery	Eastbourne
Archdeaconry	Hastings
Diocese	Chichester
Province	Canterbury

St Nicolas' Church is an old and important church in the village of Pevensey, England. It is a parish church for the local community. This church is a special building because it is listed as Grade I. This means it is very historic and protected.

A Look Back: The Church's History

St Nicolas' Church is named after Saint Nicholas, who is known as the patron saint of sailors. This church has a very long history! It was built on a spot where an even older church stood. That first church might have been there since Roman times, around the 400s. Back then, the sea was much closer to the church than it is today. The church you see now was mostly built a long time ago, between 1205 and 1216.

The church is a great example of "Early English Gothic" architecture. This style came from France in the 1100s and quickly spread to England. It is known for being simpler than later Gothic styles. You can spot it by its plain arches, tall, narrow windows called lancet windows, and less fancy stone carvings.

The large size of St Nicolas' Church shows how important Pevensey was back then. It was a major seaport! Some clues suggest the church was even meant to be bigger. However, those plans were never finished.

Amazing Architecture and Design

St Nicolas' Church has many cool original features. You can see beautiful medieval windows. The three tall, narrow windows above the main altar are perfect examples from around 1200. In the south aisle, there are two more Early English style windows. Stained glass was added to these windows in the late 1800s.

Unique Angles and Roofs

The Chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, is built at a slight angle from the Nave (the main part where people sit). This small angle is often seen in old churches. Some say it represents the angle of Christ's head on the cross. It also makes the building look longer than it is! The stone arches in the Chancel have sharp, pointed tops with carvings of stiff leaves. These are a special sign of the Early English style.

The Chancel's roof was built around 1205. It is a high, curved roof made from hand-cut Sussex oak. It is very impressive in its simple beauty. It was probably made by local shipbuilders. It looks like a boat's hull turned upside down! This roof is mostly original and has stayed almost the same for centuries.

The Nave was built around 1210. A striking feature here are the double-arched openings. There are three on the north side and five on the south side. These arches rest on columns that are either clustered (like a group of smaller columns) or octagonal (eight-sided). High windows, called Clerestory windows, are placed between the arches, which is a bit unusual. You can also see two small spaces cut into the pillars. These once held small holy figures, but they were likely removed during the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

The Nave's oak roof, which looks like a covered wagon, was repaired in the 1800s. However, its main beams are probably original and still strong. Before this repair, the Nave had a false ceiling. This caused the original roof timbers to rot because air could not circulate well.

Special Features Inside

The church has a Norman font, which is a basin used for baptisms. It is made from stone from Caen, a town in France. It has a detailed wooden cover from around 1890. There is also a strong wooden chest from 1664, called a Muniment Chest. It was used to keep important documents safe. You can also see a copy of an Offertory Box with a long handle. The original is kept safe to prevent theft. This type of box was used in the days of box pews, which were like private seating areas for wealthy families.

On the floor in the South Aisle, there is an old, heavy stone grave cover. It is thought to be from the 1200s and has the outline of a dark cross. It was one of two found in the Chancel during the 1800s restoration. It probably covered the grave of an early church leader.

The church porch on the north side protects the main door. This door is double and has brass decorations. On the stone around the door, you can see three etched crosses. These are called Votive or Crusaders' Crosses and are probably from the 1200s. Many pilgrims and crusaders would have left for Europe from Pevensey. They marked their safe return in this way.

Important Memorials

In the north aisle, there is a memorial for John Wheatley (who died in 1616). He was a wealthy local person who gave £40 (which would be about £6,000 or $10,000 today) to help prepare a ship in Pevensey. This ship was part of the fleet that fought the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Near "The Boniface Window," you will find war memorials. These remember those who died in the two World Wars. The Boniface family was a well-known local family with French roots. The window was designed by Christopher Webb, a famous church window artist. His work can also be seen in St Albans Cathedral. Christopher Webb's father, Sir Aston Webb, designed famous buildings like Admiralty Arch and the front of Buckingham Palace in London.

Restoring the Church

The first recorded repairs to the church were in 1587. This was 377 years after it was built! Records show the church was "very much in decay for lack of timber and glass and other reparations."

In the 1700s and early 1800s, the church was changed quite a bit. The beautiful wooden ceiling was covered with plaster. A brick wall separated the Sanctuary and Chancel from the Nave. These areas were used for storage, even for crops and smuggled goods! They were also used as stables for cattle and sheep that grazed in the churchyard.

From the late 1800s onwards, many restoration projects took place. A very important architect named George Gilbert Scott, Jr. led these efforts from 1875. His father, George Gilbert Scott, was also a famous architect known for designing and restoring churches. Scott Jr. oversaw big changes at St Nicolas'. He added the vestry and raised the Chancel floor with steps leading to the High Altar.

In 1876, the Sanctuary, Chancel, and Nave were reopened. They were joined together to form the church we see today. An inscription in the porch says that a society gave £230 in 1876 to help restore the church and add new seating. It also states that all seats are free for parishioners to use.

The original church tower was taken down to its first level around 1800. Later, two new levels were added, along with a new pointed roof covered in wooden shingles. This was part of the late 1800s restoration. The new tower looks like the original, made from flint and greensand stones. It was repaired again in 2006. The vestry was added in 1887 during these big restoration works.

In 1908, a clock with two faces was put in the tower by Smiths of Derby. They still maintain it today. Six church bells were also rehung at this time. Three of these bells are very old, from the 1600s. The oldest was made in 1633, and another in 1676. Bell ringers still ring them every week! You can reach the bell chamber by climbing a spiral staircase made of cast iron.

How the Church is Used Today

St Nicolas' Church was officially recognized as a Grade I Listed building on August 30, 1966.

Records of births, marriages, and deaths at the church go all the way back to 1569. The oldest original records are kept safe in the East Sussex County Archives. In 1995, a full survey was done of all the gravestones and memorials in the church and its graveyard.

Because of its design, the church has amazing acoustics. In recent years, professional musicians from London have performed concerts here. Groups like the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the BBC Concert Orchestra have played in the church. They love the clear sound it provides!

St Nicolas' Church is the oldest building in Pevensey that is still used for its original purpose. It is used all year for Christian worship, following services from the Book of Common Prayer which has been used since 1662. Because of its beautiful location, history, and grand appearance, St Nicolas' is a popular place for weddings, baptisms, and funerals.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in East Sussex
• List of current places of worship in Wealden
• St. George's Episcopal Memorial Church, a church in the US with a stained glass window containing shards of glass collected from this church when it was damaged in World War II.