St Nicholas Church, Nottingham

Church in Nottingham, England

Church

The Church of St Nicholas

St. Nicholas Church

Denomination| Church of England
Churchmanship| Charismatic Evangelical
Website| stnics.org
History
Dedication| St Nicholas
Administration
Province| Province of York
Diocese| Southwell and Nottingham
Clergy
Rector| Steve Silvester

St Nicholas Church, known locally as St Nic's, is a parish church in Nottingham city centre under the Anglican diocese of Southwell. The church, since 1953, is Grade II* listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as it is a particularly significant building of more than local interest.

## History

[edit]

St Nicholas Church is one of the three medieval Christian foundations still existing in Nottingham, the others being St Peter's Church and St Mary's Church.

A church of St Nicholas was erected on the site of the present building in the eleventh or twelfth century. This building was destroyed in 1643[1] during the English Civil War. The Royalists established themselves in the tower of the old church, and bombarded the garrison of the Castle. In 1643 the governor of the castle, Colonel Hutchinson ordered the old church to be completely destroyed and for 28 years - from 1643 to 1671 - there was no Church of St. Nicholas in Nottingham. In 1671 a new church was being constructed with completion in 1678, the church which exists today.

The Marriage, Burial and Baptism Registers begin in 1562. Other documents deeds, indentures, ecclesiastical licences, terriers (or inventories of church property) - date from 1671. The Vestry Books contain accounts of elections and church meetings from 1703 onwards.[1] No burials have taken place in the churchyard since 1881.

### Present day

[edit]

St Nicholas Church, also known as St Nic's, is a parish located in the city centre of Nottingham under the auspice of Southwell Diocese.[2] Its congregation is drawn from across the city, and is popular with university students. It has been described by Anglican body Fulcrum as Charismatic and Evangelical.[3]

## List of rectors

[edit]

* 1259\. William Bishop, died.
* 1267\. Richard de Weremsworth.
* 1288\. Johannes de Ludham.
* 1317\. Herbertus Pouger.
* 1318\. Willelmus de Ilkeston.
* 1321\. Galfridus de Wilford, resigned for the church of Blackwell Lichfield diocese.
* 1329\. Gilbertus de Ottrington.
* 1343\. Thomas de Ottrington.
* ? Thomas Tuthill (or Futhill).
* 1351\. Richardus Kaym de Gotham, died.
* 1366\. Johannes Templer, died.
* 1366\. Johannes Deinby, died.
* 1367\. Thomas Lorday de Stanley, resigned for the church of Norton, Lincoln diocese.
* 1371\. Willelmus de Bilham.
* ? Roger Bampton (or Mempton), died, buried in chancel.
* 1427\. Willelmus Cokker, resigned.
* 1432\. Willelmus Westhorpe.
* 1435\. Johannes Sampson.
* 1436\. Johannes Hopwell, died.
* 1464\. Nicholas Fish, L.D., resigned.
* 1466\. Richardus Elkesley, Doc.B., died.
* 1471\. Robertus Echard, died.
* 1476\. Thomas Tewe, resigned.
* 1477\. Edmundus Holme.
* 1497\. Johannes Dale, resigned.
* 1502\. Thomas Reyner, resigned.
* 1503\. Reynaldus Marshall, resigned.
* 1531\. Alexander Penhill, Doc.B., died.

* 1533\. Thomas Ward.
* 1585\. Randulphus Shute, B.A., resigned for St Peter's Church, Nottingham.
* 1588\. Johannes Lambe.
* 1611\. Robertus Malham, M.A., died.
* 1622\. Robertus Aynsworth,
* 1633\. Johannes Aysthorpe.
* 1665—1669 vacant.
* 1669\. Samuel Leek.
* 1672—1681 vacant.
* 1682\. John Simpson.
* 1715\. John Abson, M.A.
* 1749\. George Wakefield, M.A.
* 1766\. George Beaumont, resigned, buried in the chancel, 1773.
* 1773\. Charles Wylde, M.A., D.D.
* 1835\. William Joseph Butler, M.A.
* 1867\. Henry Wright, M.A.
* 1872\. George Ruthwen Thornton, resigned for the church of St. Barnabas', Kensington.
* 1876\. William Pope, M.A., resigned for the church of Heanton Punchardon, Exeter diocese.
* 1905\. John Bernard Barton, M.A., resigned for the church of Ronsdon, Exeter diocese.
* 1910\. Philip Henry Douglas Ogle, M.A., resigned for the church of St. John, Stamford, Lincoln diocese.
* 1916\. William Henry Milner, L.Th. died.
* 1920\. John James West, M.A., died.
* 1929\. Sidney Metcalfe,M.A.(Camb.), B.D. (Dunelm).
* 1947\. Peter Montgomery Duplock, M.A.
* 1952\. Thomas Anscombe, M.A.
* 1957\. Sidney John Hill, M.B.E.
* 1964\. Peter Bertram Coombs, M.A.
* 1968\. Gilbert Bernard Gauntlett, M.A.
* 1973\. David John Huggett, B.Sc. Ph.D.
* 1993\. David John Betts, B.Sc.
* 1999\. Trevor Hatton, B.A.
* 2008\. Steve Silvester, M.A.

## Organ

[edit]

The first organ was installed in 1811 and listed in the church inventory among other items, "one organ with rods and curtains, two bassoons and a serpent."[1]

In 2010 the former organ by C. Lloyd and Co.[4] was replaced by an electronic organ from Rodgers.

### Organists

[edit]

* Miss Stretton 1811 -
* Miss Dodd c. 1818
* Miss Woolley c. 1825
* William Richardson c. 1837 - 1867 (died 23 April 1867; buried 25 April 1867 at St Nicholas; lived on Angel Row [5])
* Henry Bond 1867 - 1871 (blind; formerly organist of St. James' Church, Standard Hill)
* William Locke until 1876[6]
* Miss E.M. Spurr c.1878 - 1889
* Walter Seymour 1891 - 1908[7]
* Joseph S. Selby FRCO ca. 1913
* Sydney J. Burdett 1919[8] \- 1928 (afterwards organist of Old Radford Church)
* James Ronald Hatchett (formerly organist of St Wilfrid's Church, Wilford)
* Raymond Dudley Hodson Smith ca. 1931 - c.1941
* Mr. H Kelly ca. 1947
* Arthur Smedley 1965 - 1977[9] (formerly organist at St Mary's Church, Bunny, afterwards organist at St Peter's Church, Ruddington)
* John Churchill 1986 - 2017
* Megan Atwell 2019 -

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

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## Clock

[edit]

The clock installed in 1830, but thought to be the face of the clock by James Woolley of 1726 from the Nottingham Exchange

An early clock was installed in 1699 by Richard Roe.[10] This was replaced in 1830 by a clock by James Woolley which had previously been in the Nottingham Exchange. The diagonal clock face is thought to have been installed at the same time, and also been from the Exchange. This 1830 clock mechanism was replaced by an electric action clock in the 1970s but the clock face was retained. The James Woolley clock was given to the Nottingham Industrial Museum.

## See also

[edit]

* Grade II* listed buildings in Nottinghamshire
* Listed buildings in Nottingham (Bridge ward)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c `The History of St Nicholas` by Thomas A Robinson B.A. (c1960)
2. ^ St Nic’s. Context and vision Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. Retrieved 31 October 2024
3. ^ Kings, Graham (September 2003). "Canal, River and Rapids: Contemporary Evangelicalism in the Church of England". Anvil. 20 (3): 167–184. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
4. ^ "Nottinghamshire, Nottingham St. Nicholas, Maid Marian Way". National Pipe Organ Register. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
5. ^ Nottingham Review 26 April 1867
6. ^ "Deaths". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 19 May 1876. Retrieved 12 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "Retirement of W Seymour". Nottingham Evening Post. Nottingham. 31 January 1908. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
8. ^ "City Church Appointment". Nottingham Journal. England. 26 November 1919. Retrieved 2 June 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Hymns for 59 years". Newark Advertiser. England. 22 January 1988. Retrieved 12 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ Beeson, C.F.C (1977). English Church Clocks 1280-1850. Brant Wright Associates Ltd. ISBN 0903512149.

## Sources

[edit]

* Alfred Stapleton, 1905, Churches and Monasteries of Old and New Nottingham
* Keith Train, 1981, Train on Churches; Nottingham
* J Holland Walker M.B.E., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S, c1930, St. Nicholas' Church Nottingham

## Further reading

[edit]

* Walker, J. Holland (1940), "St. Nicholas' church, Nottingham", Transactions of the Thoroton Society, XLIV: 51–67, doi:10.5284/1112134

## External links

[edit]

* History of the church building
* St. Nic's Church on Google Street View

52°57′03″N 1°9′4″W﻿ / ﻿52.95083°N 1.15111°W﻿ / 52.95083; -1.15111

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Churches in the Deanery of Nottingham South

Benefice of Attenborough|

* St Mary, Attenborough

Benefice of Beeston|

* St John the Baptist, Beeston

Benefice of Bramcote|

* St Michael and All Angels, Bramcote

Benefice of Carrington|

* St John, Carrington

Benefice of Chilwell|

* Christ Church, Chilwell
* St Barnabas, Inham Nook

Benefice of Hyson Green|

* St Stephen, Hyson Green

Benefice of Lenton|

* Holy Trinity, Lenton
* Lenton Priory

Benefice of Lenton Abbey|

* St Barnabas, Lenton Abbey

Benefice of Nottingham St Andrew|

* St Andrew, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St Ann with Emmanuel|

* St Ann with Emmanuel, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St George|

* St George, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St Mary|

* St Mary, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St Nicholas|

* St Nicholas, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St Peter and All Saints|

* All Saints, Nottingham
* St Peter, Nottingham

Benefice of Nottingham St Saviour|

* St Saviour, Nottingham

Benefice of Radford|

* All Souls, Radford
* St Peter, Radford

Benefice of Sneinton St Christopher|

* St Christopher, Sneinton

Benefice of Sneinton St Cyprian|

* St Cyprian, Nottingham

Benefice of Sneinton St Stephen|

* St Stephen, Sneinton

Benefice of Toton|

* St Peter, Toton

Benefice of Wollaton Park|

* St Mary, Wollaton Park

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Places of interest in Nottingham

Historic buildings|

* 10, Low Pavement
* 19, Castle Gate
* 24-26, Low Pavement
* All Saints' Church
* Boulevard Works
* Bromley House Library
* Canning Terrace
* Central Post Office
* County War Memorial
* City War Memorial
* County House
* Enfield House
* Flying Horse Inn
* Green's Windmill
* Newdigate House
* Nottingham Castle
* Nottingham Council House
* Nottingham Roman Catholic Cathedral
* Nottingham Guildhall
* Old Assembly Rooms
* Oldknows Factory, Nottingham
* Plumptre Hospital
* Queen's Chambers
* Severn's Building
* Sheriff House
* Sherwin House
* St Mary's Church
* St Nicholas' Church
* St Peter's Church
* Watson Fothergill's offices
* Willoughby House
* Wollaton Hall

Public Houses|

* The Bell Inn
* Cock and Hoop
* Old Angel Inn
* Royal Children
* Thurland Hall
* Ye Olde Salutation Inn
* Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

Museums, centres and galleries|

* City of Caves
* National Justice Museum
* Green's Windmill
* Nottingham Castle
* Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery
* Nottingham Heritage Railway
* Nottingham Industrial Museum
* Trade
* Nottingham Natural History Museum
* Wollaton Hall

Parks and public spaces|

* Forest Recreation Ground
* Highfields Park
* Church Cemetery, Nottingham
* Nottingham General Cemetery
* Old Market Square
* The Arboretum
* Wollaton Park
* Woodthorpe Grange Park

Theatre and entertainment|

* Albert Hall
* Broadway Cinema
* Elite Picture Theatre
* Lace Market Theatre
* Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
* National Ice Centre
* Nottingham Arts Theatre
* Nottingham Playhouse
* Royal Concert Hall
* Ocean
* Rock City
* Savoy Cinema
* The Cornerhouse
* The Palais
* Theatre Royal

Shopping|

* Broadmarsh Shopping Centre
* The Exchange Arcade
* Victoria Shopping Centre

Transport|

* Broadmarsh bus station
* East Midlands Airport
* Nottingham Express Transit
* Nottingham railway station
* Trent Bridge
* Victoria bus station

Education|

* Nottingham Trent University
* University of Nottingham
* Nottingham College
* Nottingham Central Library

Sport|

* National Ice Centre (Nottingham Panthers)
* National Watersports Centre
* City Ground (Nottingham Forest F.C.)
* Meadow Lane (Notts County F.C.)
* Trent Bridge (Nottinghamshire C.C.C.)
* Nottingham Racecourse
* Nottingham Greyhound Stadium

Lost landmarks|

* Black Boy Hotel
* Greyfriars, Nottingham
* Nottingham Exchange
* Nottingham Guild Hall
* Nottingham Victoria railway station
* Nottingham Whitefriars
* Pierrepont House
* Plumptre House
* Walter Fountain

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