St. Nicholas Church, Berden

No church or priest for Berden is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book. St Nicholas' parish register dates from 1715. The present church nave dates from the 12th century, with the chancel and transepts from the 13th, and the tower from the 15th. The chancel was rebuilt in part, and the church restored, in the 19th century at which time a south porch was added. A complete 1868 restoration was carried out at a cost of £2000. Before the 1868 restoration the church was recorded as containing a north and a south aisle, and a tower of four bells; and in 1818 as containing five bells. The earliest record of a priest at Berden is that of John de Askeby in 1325. At the time of the Church of England's…

The church walls and ceilings are rendered and painted white throughout. All windows are glazed with translucent rectilinear glass panels, in clear, red or blue. All flooring is plain red tiling except on the raised chancel sanctuary behind the altar rail where there is added bands of black, white and brown. The chancel east window is part of the 19th-century restoration, but with the use of a c. 1270 capital detail. The c. 1270 chamfered rebated chancel arch has a hood mould finished with human head label stops on both chancel and nave sides. Set within the arch is a further chamfered arch supported by responds half-piers attached to walls supporting an arch of semi-circular columns with…