St Nicolas Church, Newbury

St. Nicolas Church is dedicated to the eponymous Bishop of Myra in the fourth century. A church was first built in this site during Norman times, and it is mentioned in a document of 1086 in which Ernulf of Hesdin gives the church of the Abbey of Préaux. The present parish church was entirely rebuilt, probably between the years 1509 and 1533. It is in the architectural style of the late Perpendicular period. The presence of certain devices in the stonework, in particular the pomegranate device (the apple of Grenada) and the portcullis device (which appears on the Tudor royal escutcheon) indicates that the church was built during the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, which…

The plan of the church is typical for a parish church, consisting of nave and chancel with no transept. Considered large compared to other churches of the same style, the nave has a clerestory, lighted by five large three light windows on either side, and aisles with arcades of five arches each. These aisles open into what were chantry-chapels on either side of the chancel. The southern chantry-chapel still has that role, but the northern is used as a vestry and contains the organ. The west tower has a peal of ten bells and a Sanctus bell. The back eight bells date from 1803 and were cast from the now defunct Wells of Aldbourne bell foundry; they were re-hung in 1933 with new fittings and…

The church continues to play a central role in both the Christian and wider community of Newbury, fulfilling its purpose as an Evangelical Anglican parish church of Biblical preaching and worship. It has a congregation of around 260. A tune entitled 'Newbury' is a traditional English melody adapted for the hymn 'Jerusalem, thou city blest' (New English Hymnal 228).