Details
SP 68 SW SOUTH KILWORTH CHURCH LANE, South Kilworth
5/45 Church of St Nicholas
11/01/55
GV II*
Parish church. C12, C15, restored 1868-9 by G F Bodley. Coursed
rubblestone with ashlar dressings. Lead, slate and pantile
roofs. South-west tower with broach spire and south porch, nave,
north and south aisle, chancel. Continuous plinth. Buttresses
with set-offs. C15, 4-stage, tower with clasping buttresses and
3 string courses and cornice below spire. West elevation:
chamfered, pointed arch 2-light window with hood formed by
continuous string course. Above in 3rd stage, a chamfered loop
hole. Above in 4th stage, a chamfered, pointed arch 2-light
louvred bell-opening with transom, and hoodmould, the lower
lights blocked. North elevation has similar bell-opening. East
elevation has similar bell-opening, with above in 3rd stage, a
small trefoiled window with flat hoodmould. Roofline of earlier
south aisle visible. South elevation has porch with slate roof,
coped gable with kneelers and cross finials, and angle
buttresses. Double-chamfered pointed arch doorway with rounded
responds with capitals and bases, and hoodmould. Chamfered loop
hole on east and west walls. Stone seats inside and WWI memorial
on west wall. Heavily moulded, pointed arch with hoodmould and
C19 double plank doors. Above porch, in 3rd stage, a trefoiled
niche with thin colonettes with capitals and bases, crocketed
hood and finial, containing an effigy of St Nicholas. Above in
4th stage, a bell-opening similar to others. To west of porch,
in 2nd stage, 2 small loop holes, and another in 4th stage.
Octagonal, ashlared spire has a WWI memorial clock face on 4
faces, with above, a 2-light gabled lucarne, and above again, a
smaller, single-light lucarne. Weathercock. Nave has plaintile
roof, coped gables with kneelers and cross finials and a C19
stack rising from north-east corner of roof. West wall has C19,
chamfered, pointed arch 3-light window with hoodmould. Above in
the gable, a loop hole. C19 north aisle has tile roof and west
wall with single chamfered lancet. North wall, from west to
east: a pair of chamfered lancets, then a single chamfered
lancet, and then another similar. East wall has a pair of
heavily moulded lancets. C19 south aisle has lead roof. South
wall from west to east: a buttresses, then a large 2-light window
with chamfered rectangular frame, in polychrome stonework, then
a buttress, followed by another similar window, then another
buttress. East wall has a buttress and a chamfered, four-centred
arch, 2-light window with hoodmould. C19 chancel with coped east
gable with kneelers and cross finial. North wall from west to
east: a chamfered, pointed arch, 2-light window in polycrome
stonework, another similar window, then a buttress. South wall
has a continuous sill band, and from west to east: a chamfered,
pointed arch, 2-light window with hoodmould in polychrome
stonework, then a chamfered, pointed arch priest's doorway with
plank door followed by another similar 2-light window, then a
buttress. East wall has a chamfered, pointed arch, 3-light
window with hoodmould, a buttress below and buttresses to either
side. Above in the gable, a chamfered loop hole.
INTERIOR: double-chamfered pointed tower arch opening to north
with responds with capitals and bases. A Similar tower arch,
with hoodmould, opening to east. String course across west wall
of nave. C12, 3-bay, north arcade, with round arches, with
circular piers with capitals with square abaci and bases, and
responds with impost bands. To east, a 4th bay, occupied by
organ, with heavily moulded four-centred arch: C19, 3-bay, south
arcade with heavily moulded pointed arches with bases to piers
and responds, and continuous hoodmould. Corbel respond to west.
Double-chamfered pointed chancel arch with responds with capitals
bases, and hoodmould. Chancel has continuous string course.
Piscina with cinquefoiled head in south-east corner. Heavily
moulded C19 sepuchre with hoodmould, occupied by worn effigy of
a priest, in north-west corner. Late C12/early C13 front,
capital bowl carved with large shapes, circular base, polygonal
plinth. C19 lid. C19 reredos, altar rails, pews, stalls, organ,
lectern, pulpit. Part of c1300 stone altar tomb of Richard
Wythnale re-used as reredos at east end of north aisle, worn,
with 4 panels. Christ crucified on a leafy tree at centre, Angel
Gabriel to left and Virgin Mary to right, and to right again, a
shield. 2 C13 stone coffin lids, the smaller with worn, carved
pattern on lid, at west end of nave.
MONUMENTS: brass plaque dated 1663 detailing bequest of John
Gobert of Coventry Esq, re-sited on north-east corner of tower.
To right, on north wall, 1914-1919 Roll of honour, painted, in
glazed frame. C19 square wooden bequest board, painted
inscription, on west wall. To right, another square wooden board
detailing grant of 1868 made by The Incorporated Society for
Building and Churches. Brass plaque on north wall of north aisle
refers to rebuilding of aisle, 1836, by Rev Wm Pearson. South
aisle has 2 C20 wall memorials to Pownall family, and a late C19
brass wall memorial to east of tower arch. Nave has 2 C19 marble
wall memorials above north arcade. That to west 1861, that to
east memory of Rev Wm Pearson (d.1847). Chancel has C20 wall
memorial on south wall. C19 roofs. Chancel roof repainted 1984.
Minton tiles in sanctury, polychromatic in chancel, stone flags
in nave, aisles and tower. C19 stained glass in east window of
south aisle, and in east and west windows. West window 1869 by
Hardman.
(Buildinas of England: Leicestershire: p. 3831
Listing NGR: SP6043981890
