Details
BRIGHTON
TQ3004NE DYKE ROAD
577-1/32/208 (East side)
13/10/52 Church of St Nicholas of Myra
GV II*
Formerly known as: St Nicholas's Church CHURCH STREET.
Parish church. Late C14, though only the tower, chancel arch
and most of the nave arcade are now of this date; in 1853 the
rest of the church was largely rebuilt, including the widening
of both aisles and the lengthening of the north aisle, by RC
Carpenter for the Rev HM Wagner; choir vestry and northern
approach added 1877 by George Somers Clarke junior; north
vestry added 1892 by Somers Clarke junior, who also renewed
the roof and added the clerestory at this date.
Knapped flint with stone dressings, and dressed flint to the
tower except on the lower part of the south face which is
cobbled; roofs of slate.
PLAN: chancel under a lower roof, south-east chapel,
north-east vestries, nave and aisles, west tower, south porch.
EXTERIOR: the east window is 4-centred with 5 lights and
rectilinear tracery; the south-east chapel is under a separate
gable and has a 4-centred east window with 3 lights and
rectilinear tracery; the vestries are under 2 gables; the
southern has a basement window with a 4-centred arch, 3 lights
and curvilinear tracery; the tracery in the rest of the church
is curvilinear unless otherwise specified; pointed-arched,
2-light window above; stack to the southern vestry; the
northern vestry has a flat-arched window of 4 lights; covered
passage to Church Street. The south side of the south-east
chapel is of 3 bays with an elliptical-arched entrance between
buttresses towards the centre, 2 flat-arched 2-light windows
either side, and a shorter one above the entrance. The south
aisle has 4 flat-arched 2-light windows, and there are 10
flat-arched, 2-light windows to the clerestory. Gabled south
porch with pointed-arched entrance having an inner order with
roll-mouldings now much decayed. The north aisle has 4
flat-arched, 2-light windows and there are ten flat-arched,
2-light windows to the clerestory. Low tower, square in plan
with angle buttresses; pointed-arched west door detailed as
for porch with a 2-light window above and a small trefoiled
window above that; one lancet at the belfry stage on this west
face and, on the south face at this level, a flat-arched,
2-light belfry opening; there is a similar opening of one
light on the north face; the embattled parapet is stepped out;
late C20 wooden fleche surmounted by a metal finial.
INTERIOR: chancel of 2 bays, open to the south chapel, the
choir bay having 3 shafts with hollow-mouldings and a moulded
inner order to the arch. Wooden panelling with elaborate blank
tracery designed by Somers Clarke junior and incorporating a
triptych by Matthew Ridley Corbet as the reredos; sanctuary
floor of coloured marbles; choirs stall with poppy heads,
designed by Somers Clarke junior; wagon roof decorated with
painted ribs and bosses in the manner of GF Bodley. Chancel
screen of c1480 with blind arcaded panels below, ogee tracery
and vaulting to either side; repaired, and rood figures added,
1887, metal gates of about the same date, painted decoration
of c1890. The east and west walls of the nave have painted
decoration designed by Somers Clarke junior and executed by CE
Kempe, c1892, trailing foliage and sacred emblems on the east
wall, stencilled patterns and coats of arms on the west. Nave
arcade of 5 bays with octagonal columns and a double-chamfered
inner order; similar arch to belfry with a screen of 1897;
simple wooden panelled roof with curved 'queen posts', and the
second beam from the east inscribed in memory of Somers Clarke
junior. The aisles have similarly panelled lean-to roofs of
1894. South chapel has late C19 wooden reredos and panelling,
and a roof decorated c1895; it was enlarged c1900; statue of
St Nicholas designed by JN Comper, c1924, to right of arch to
chapel.
Norman font, probably of c1165, a circular drum of Caen stone,
with scenes from the New Testament and the life of St Nicholas
between a lower frieze of variegated ornament and a band of
nailhead carving; wooden font cover of 1857. Wall monument to
Frances Crosbie in the north aisle by Richard Westmacott, and
a portrait bust on a scrolled base at the west end of the
south aisle in memory of his wife, also by Westmacott.
Wellington Memorial of 1853, designed by RC Carpenter and
carved by John Birnie Philip: modelled on an Eleanor cross,
the ogee arches of the third stage now broken in places.
Pulpit of 1867.
Stained glass: east window designed by JR Clayton and made by
Ward and Hughes, c1853; windows in the south chapel and aisles
between 1878 and 1887, and tower window of 1897 by CE Kempe. 3
lead tablets, of 1675-1705, in the belfry.
HISTORICAL NOTE: St Nicholas' was the parish church of
Brighton until 1873. In addition to the features described,
the church is of interest for its connection with the Rev HM
Wagner, vicar from 1824 to 1870, who dominated the Anglican
life of Brighton in the early and mid-Victorian periods.
(Carder T: The Encyclopedia of Brighton: Lewes: 1990-; St
Nicolas, Brighton (church guide): Brighton; Day AF: The Church
of St Nicolas of Myra, Dyke Road, Brighton: Brighton; Harrison
M: Victorian Stained Glass: London: 1980-: 30).
Listing NGR: TQ3075304504
