Description

SK 94 NW NORMANTON MAIN STREET

Parish Church of
3/111 St Nicholas
20-9-66
II*

Parish Church now vested in Redundant Churches Fund. C11, C12, C13, C14, C15
and alterations and additions of 1845. Ashlar, coursed limestone and iron-
stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Lead, plain tiled and slate roofs.
The unbuttressed rather squat ashlar tower has 3 unequal stages with
a splayed base. 2 moulded plinth hands, a moulded stringcourse to
first stage and a plain one to the second. The plain parapet has a
finally carved corbel table and moulded top. The large central stage
of the tower has a small trefoil headers window to each face. The south
face also has a small quatrefoil. The 3 light west window is C19 but
incorporates some C14 ball flower ornament. Set in the centre of the
tracery is a C19 carved head. The hood mould and decorated label stops
are C14. The belfry openings to all faces are 2 light C14, deep
inset, with hood moulds and label stops. The ashlar north aisle wall,
rebuilt 1845, has a lead roof and 2 bays marked by buttresses. The
west window is a lancet, the north side has 2 two-light windows. The
north clerestorey, in coursed limestone rubble, has a richly panelled
embattled parapet with 2 lines of shields in cusped lozenges. 2
gargoyles drain the lead roof. Pinnacle bases but no pinnacles
remain. 2 C15 4 centred windows with tracery removed. The ashlar
and slate vestry dates from 1845, when the chancel was also largerly
rebuilt. It is in coursed limestone rubble, with some ironstone and
ashlar to the upper part of the east end. The plain tile roof has a
stone coped gable and cross fleury to the ridge. At the east end are
3 C19 lancets under a continuous hood mould. The south side has one
recut C13 plate tracery window and a single C19 lancet. The east wall
of the nave has a battlemented parapet which terminates with an angel
figure at the ridge. A C19 cross stands on the C15 pinnacle base.
A reused Saxon cross shaft fragment bearing tight interlace decoration
is inset near the south wall. The south aisle is in coursed limestone
to the lower part and coursed ironstone to the upper, and has a lead
roof. The east window is C14, 2 light with reticulated tracery and
has a hood mould with human mask label stops. The south window
is 2 light late C14 with recut reticulated tracery and heavy hood mould
with block stops. The west window is a C13 lancet. The south porch
is in ashlar with a lead roof and stone coped gables. The opening
is round arched with plain imposts. Over the door is an inscription
'L Pollard CW 1789', probably referring to the reroofing of the porch.
The porch has stone side benches. The south doorway appears to have been
recut in the C17 and is a plain pointed chamfered opening with slightly
moulded imposts. The south clerestorey is as the north but has
3 windows.
Inside; late C12 south arcade of 2 bays with short circular piers
on large square bases with waterleaf capitals. Plain responds.
Stepped and chamfered arches with dog tooth hood mould and added
C19 head over central pier. Arches may have been recut in 1845 restoration.
Over the easternbay is a blocked opening cut by the C12 arcade which seems
to be evidence of an earlier C11 phase. In the rear arch to the south
aisle western lancet is some dogtooth decoration. On the south arcade
is an incised geometric consecration cross. The 2 bay north arcade is
late C13 with octagonal piers and responds and nail head decoration to
the top mouldings of the capitals. The double chamfered pointed arches
have hood moulds. The massive double chamfered tower arch is
late C12 with keeled responds and sprigs of stiff leaf decoration to
the capitals. It has a billet moulded hood as the south arcade.
The tower stair door is in small C14 arched opening and the door has
original decorative ironwork and keyplate. In the splayed sill of
the tower window is an inscribed lead plaque 'T. Pollard C.W. 1802'
The nave roof is C17, oak tie beams with moulded purlins. The chancel
arch is C13 recut in C19, with semicircular responds and double
chamfered arch, it is almost 4 centred. The chancel has C19 piscina,
aumbry, roof and corbels. Fittings: The hexagonal pulpit is C17
and has 2 tiers of plain panelling; a back piece and tester over with
fretted edge, dentillated cornice and pendent knobs. The pews are
C19. The oak chest is probably C14 and has traceried pointed arches on
the front. Above the tower arch are the Royal Arms of George IV (1830).
On the tower walls are mid C19 commandment boards and a benefactors
board of 1758, on the south tower wall. The font is a plain C12
circular tubs on a round columnar base. There are fragments of C14
glass in the west window.

Listing NGR: SK9489346249

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Nicholas' Church, Normanton at Wikipedia
• St Nicholas' Church, Normanton official website
• Wikidata Q7594929

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)