Church of St Nicholas

Details

TL 5457 GREAT WILBRAHAM CHURCH STREET (North East Side)

Church of St. Nicholas 13/96 31.8.62 II* GV

Parish church, with a C12 origin, but mostly of C13 when the nave, crossing and chancel were built or rebuilt. The West Tower is probably C14. Restored C19 when the North Transept was mostly rebuilt. Pebble stones, flint and limestone dressings with some clunch surviving in the window tracery. Plain tiled roofs. Original cruciform plan, but the central tower was either never built or collapsed. West Tower added C15, of three stages embattled with restored crocketed pinnacles and moulded main cornice. On chamfered plinth, with three stage diagonal buttressing. Restored C14-C15 window with vertical tracery. Second stage has a lancet with hollow moulded opening, to each side and bell stage has two cinquefoil openings in two centred heads. Nave: C15 restored fenestration. The south porch is also C15 with two centred outer arch of clunch, much worn, of two-wave moulded orders, the inner on engaged shaft with embattled capital. Inner arch is C13 of three hollow and roll moulded orders in a two centred arch with two bands of dog tooth ornament. Each order on restored shafts with moulded capitals and hold water bases. The walls of the crosswing are visible above the eaves of the nave. The South Transept is of similar materials and has two restored C13 lancets in the west wall, a window of C15, again restored, with vertical tracery in the south, and in the east wall a blocked two centred archway of two chamfered orders on responds with half octagonal moulded capitals and bases originally leading to a South Transept chapel. The C13 chancel has two lancets windows in the south wall, one partly blocked by a C15 low side window opening. The south doorway is restored as is the east window, which is composed of three graduated lancets. Two smaller lancets in the north wall. The north wall of the nave has a C12 window in a round head. Interior: There are deep splays to the windows in the north wall of the nave, unlike that of the south wall. The C13 arches at the crosswing are two centred and of two chamfered orders on half octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases. The outer chamfer has a stop. The west side of the arch facing the nave has two hollow and roll moulded orders. The blocked archway in the east wall of the South Transept has the similar hollow and roll moulding and dog tooth ornament: as the inner archway of the porch. There was a rood loft opening in the north wall of the chancel. There are two mid C18 gothic wall monuments in the chancel, one to Miss Mary Ward, 1756 and Thomas Weston Ward, 1750. Also in the north wall and above these monuments is an early C18 white marble wall tablet. The communion rail is early C18 and has twisted balusters. There are fragements of C14 wall painting at the crossing. The font is early C12 and dates from the original church on the site. Square bowl of limestone, with lead lined bowl, the upper edge with band of saltire crosses and fleurons and the lower with volutes at the corners. On a square stem with large stop chamfers. Square base. Pevsner: Buildings of England p.397 R.C.H.M: Record card

Listing NGR: TL5483757760

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

51502

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire, (1970), 397

End of official list entry

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