Information for record number MWA1689:
Church of St Nicholas, Attleborough Road, Nuneaton

Summary The Church of St. Nicholas which was originally built during the Medieval period. It is situated on Church Street, Nuneaton.
What Is It?  
Type: Church, Building, Tower, Chancel, Arcade
Period: Medieval - Modern (1066 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Nuneaton and Bedworth
District: Nuneaton and Bedworth, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 36 91
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: I)
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

  
Description

  
Source Number  

8 Church circa 1340. Tower 15th century; clerestory, nave arcades and nave and aisle roofs late 15th century. Chancel north chapel and arcade partly rebuilt early 16th century. Chancel extended and chancel arch inserted 1852-1853 by Ewan Christian. Vestry extended early 20th century. Ashlar and regular coursed sandstone. 19th century plain-tile chancel roof with some fish-scale tiles and ridge cresting, and lead roofs with moulded cornice and embattled parapets. Coped gable parapets. Aisled nave, chancel and chancel chapels, west Tower, north Vestry. Mostly Perpendicular style. Four-bay chancel, four-bay nave. Splay and moulded plinths throughout. Chancel has angle buttresses of two offsets, with steep gablets, mouldings and carving, and crocketed and gableted pinnacles. Five-light east window has reticulated tracery with hood mould and head stops. Similar north and south buttresses, but without pinnacles. Moulded frieze. North side has three-light window. Rainwater heads dated 1853. North chapel and aisle in one. East diagonal buttress of two offsets. Three-light east window has curvilinear tracery. First and second bays have three-light windows with simple tracery, and small shouldered doorway between. Third bay has two-light window with reticulated tracery. Large buttress. Fourth bay has straight-headed window. Vestry adjoins next two bays. Diagonal buttresses. East doorway has hood mould and plank door. North east corner has external stack with octagonal shaft. Three-light uncusped west window. Aisle north west doorway of three moulded orders has 19th century plank door. Both aisles have two-light west windows with, reticulated tracery. Eight-bay clerestory of three-light windows with continuous mouldings. South chapel of four narrow bays. Low diagonal buttress with ogee niche, and south buttresses. Large three-light east window has renewed reticulated tracery. To south first and third three-light windows are set high up. Second bay has early 14th century window of three stepped cusped lancets with roll mouldings. Two-light south east window has reticulated tracery. Both windows have hood moulds with head stops. Moulded cornice has remains of carvings. South west corner has canted stair projection with high plinth and small Tudor-arch door in right side. Lower four-bay aisle has diagonal and south buttresses of three moulded offsets. Western bay has elaborately moulded doorway with ballflower decoration, inner four-centred arched doorway, and blind tracery in tympanum. 19th century double-leaf doors. Short three-light window above has sill course forming hood mould of doorway. Other bays have large three-light windows. Hood moulds with return stops throughout. Tower of three stages with splay string courses. Diagonal buttresses of six offsets. West doorway of two broad-chamfered orders has 19th century double-leaf doors with decorative ironwork. Three-light window above has hood mould with head stops. Second stage has round clock face with moulded stone frame, set in moulded stone star-shaped panel. Third stage has two-light bell-chamber openings with largely renewed tracery, and hood moulds. Moulded cornice and embattled parapet with crocketed pinnacles, renewed to south west. Octagonal south east turret rises above parapet. Interior is entirely plastered and whitewashed. Chancel has three-bay north arcade of two moulded orders, of varying widths. Western arch is higher, and has outer segmental pointed arch and different mouldings. 14th century south arcade of two wide, shallow, chamfered orders, the outer continuous. Head corbel to south east. 19th century wagon roof has painted chamfered arched braces and boarding, moulded wall plate and corbels. 19th century chancel arch of two chamfered orders has spandrels with pierced tracery. Nave has four-bay arcades of two orders with piers of moulded lozenge section; mouldings continue up to frame clerestory windows. Tower arch of three broad-chamfered orders. Nave and aisles have Perpendicular painted, moulded and panelled roofs with carved bosses; principal bosses are gilded. South chapel has corbel head in east wall. Fittings: 19th century octagonal stone font and stalls; octagonal wood pulpit dated 1902. Carved oak reredos dated 1927. South chapel has piscina with crocketed ogee arch combined with a credence shelf. Vaulted sedile has nodding ogee crocketed canopy and pinnacles. Monuments: chancel has chamfered segmental-pointed tomb recess in north wall. Alabaster chest tomb of Sir Harmaduke Constable, 1560, has recumbent effigy and shield panels. Wall monuments: north east: William Craddock, 1833. Neoclassical, with draped urn and panel. By the Patent Works, Westminster. North west: Mary Combes 1668. Composite columns with sections of a pediment, achievement of arms, and shaped raised panel. Swags and skulls. Predella has medallion of a head. South east: Reverend John Ryder 1791. Broken pediment with consoles and flaming urn, and oval panel with palms. South: Anthony Trotman 1662 and Abigail 1703. Large and ambitious, with to busts on inscribed pedestal. architectural frame of pilaster panels with painted cartouches of arms and large moulded entablature with drapery. Cartouche of arms with four gilt-winged heads, fruit, and putti to left and right. Predella has corpse in a winding sheet.
1 Chancel, nave, North and South aisles and chapels, North Vestry and West Tower. The earliest work remaining is of circa 1340, i.e. the South chapel and parts of the North chapel and aisle. The arcades of the nave and the clerestory are rebuildings and additions of the late 15th century, and the North arcade of the chancel of the early 16th century, when the North chapel was rebuilt. The West Tower is an earlier 15th century addition. A great deal of modern restoration. The South aisle has been rebuilt or refaced. The chancel was lengthened in 1852.
4 Large and of dark grey stone. Good nave and aisle roofs with bosses. Chancel mostly of 1852; chancel arch by Ewan Christian. Monuments of interest.
7 An archaeological evaluation in the graveyard prior to an extension, revealed no structural evidence for an earlier Church. Two sherds of Romano-British pottery were found and some fragments of 13th/14th century floor tiles.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 4, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1947
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 4
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 4, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1947
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 4
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1947
Page Number: 2
Volume/Sheet: Warwick
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 4, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1947
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 4
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Archaeological Evaluation at Church of St. Nicholas, Nuneaton
Author/originator: Coutts C
Date: 2000
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Report No 0021
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Statuatory List
Title: National Heritage List for England
Author/originator: Historic England
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
St Nicholas' Church, Nuneaton
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 2000
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source LBL Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features. back
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument SHAFT * Use only if function unknown, otherwise use specific type. back
monument WALL MONUMENT * A substantial monument attached to a wall and often standing on the floor. back
monument PULPIT * Use as an external architectural feature only. back
monument CHEST TOMB * A tomb designed in the form of a cist or stone box placed over a burial. Its outward form often reproduces the features of the classical sarcophagus or medieval effigy base. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument TURRET * A small tower or bartizan, which was often placed at the angles of a castle, to increase the flanking ability, some only serving as corner buttresses. Also used to describe the small rectangular towers situated between the milecastles along Hadrians Wall. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument URN * A garden ornament, usually of stone or metal, designed in the the form of a vase used to receive the ashes of the dead. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PEDESTAL * A concrete, cylindrical pedestal on which a spigot mortar was mounted. The pedestal is often the only evidence for a Spigot Mortar emplacement to survive. back
monument VESTRY * A room or part of a church where the vestments, vessels and records are kept. back
monument PIER * A structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. back
monument PISCINA * A perforated stone basin usually built into the wall of a church on the south side of the altar. Used for carrying away the ablutions (wine and water used to rinse the chalice, and wash the priests hands after communion). back
monument CARVING * A carved figure or design. back
monument WOOD * A tract of land with trees, sometimes acting as a boundary or barrier, usually smaller and less wild than a forest. back
monument EFFIGY * A sculptured likeness, portrait or image, often found on a tomb or other memorial. back
monument FONT * A vessel, usually made of stone, which contains the consecrated water for baptism. Use a broader monument type if possible. back
monument CHAPEL * A freestanding building, or a room or recess serving as a place of Christian worship in a church or other building. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BUST * A piece of sculpture usually representing the head, shoulders and breast of a person. back
monument COLUMN * Use for free standing column. back
monument PINNACLE * A vertical, pointed structure usually resembling a pyramid or cone. Use for component of a larger building type where it is now used as a freestanding ornament. back
monument ROUND * A small, Iron Age/Romano-British enclosed settlement found in South West England. back
monument RAINWATER HEAD * The receptacle at the top of a rain-water pipe which gathers the water from one or more outlets or gutters on the roof. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOMB * A grave or sepulchre including a monument. Use specific type where known. back
monument WORKS * Usually a complex of buildings for the processing of raw materials. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record