Description

TG 04 SE SALTHOUSE

3/107 Church of St.Nicholas

4.10.60
I

Parish church,1503, built at expense of Sir Henry Heydon, galletted whole
and knapped flint, stone dressings, lead roof. West tower, nave and chancel
in one, north and south aisles, north and south porches. Embattled 3-stage
tower, C14, stepped angle buttresses, Decorated west window of 2 wide lights
with multicusped heads and sextofoil; second stage has narrow slits to north
and south, cusped light to west; 2-light bell openings; gargoyle to west;
embattlements of pebble flint; polygonal stair turret to south east having
brick polygonal roof; stone dressed square opening at base of south face.
North and south facades of nave alike, clerestorey of ten openings under
pointed segmental heads, each of 2 cusped lights and quatrefoil, eleventh
opening to east over chancel of 3 similar lights; four pairs of tall narrow
2-light windows. All windows and porch arch have voussoirs of alternate pale
knapped flint and stone; chancel of one bay beyond aisles has Y-tracery window.
South porch: round shafts; continuous wave moulding to arch, no return
openings; shallow pitched roof with moulded principal beams; side benches
of Purbeck marble. Perpendicular south doorway with plain chamfered jambs
and treble mouldings to arch, Heydon arms in spandrels, niche above partly
covered by porch roof. North porch: as south porch but smaller, benches with
ties, plain jambs and moulded arch to doorway. Small flat roofed room in
angle of north aisle and chancel with two oblong slit openings to east and
C19 2-light opening to north. Large east window under 4-centred arch of 4
transomed lights, upper lights with panel tracery, lower lights with 4-centred
heads. Low buttress below east window. Interior: 5 bay arcade north and
south of slender quatrefoil piers and double hollow chamfered arches having
shields at apices, some bearing the Heydon arms. No chancel arch. Tall tower
arch with double chamfers above figure corbels. Window rear arches dropped
to form wall benches. Much of floor of original 12" marble tiles, 10" brick
tiles and a few encaustic tiles. Double framed nave roof with moulded principal
beams (chancel roof renewed), fretwork frieze of shields and quatrefoils,
wall posts for principal rafters supported by embattled stone corbels with
blank shields; aisle roofs arch braced. Octagonal font standing on high
octagonal steps, evangelists' and passion symbols on faces, square stem with
grinning lions at angles, some early C16 poppy head bench ends incorporated
into C19 benches and choirstalls. Screen: remains of painted screen, traceried
panels painted with saints and prophets defaced, 4 double panels either side
of nave to west dated 1513, 2 double panels to south aisle chapel, fragments
of screen tracery under tower, parts of screen randomly incorporated into
choir stalls. Choir stalls and rear of screen panels with super-imposed
graffiti of ships from C16 to late C19 brigantines Chancel: ledge below east
window incorporates piscina, blocked priest's door to south, part of black
letter text dated 1638 on north wall (Malachai III 12), small stone mensa
of C16 incorporated into C20 altar. South chapel: C17 table, top renewed,
with strapwork frieze, piscina with spandrels having sculptured flowers.
Polygonal base of piscina, perhaps from ruined medieval chapel in churchyard,
(q.v. 3/108) inserted in north pier by chancel; 4-centred arch to doorway
of sacristry in angle of north aisle and chancel. C18 pulpit of walnut, now
on concrete base.

Listing NGR: TG0761743678

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536906

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.

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