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Summary

Grade I listed parish church built between 1520-1532, probably on the site of earlier church

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1219556: PARISH CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS (ERROR IN NAME)
• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01389.08.000
  
• Church Heritage Record: 9667
  
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984): ø 1/186 Church of St. Nicholas (sic)
  Early C.16. Chancel, N. & S. chapels, Nave, N. & S. porches, and half enclosed W. tower with modern N. vestry. Said to have been built by John Smallwood (or Winchcombe "Jack of Newbury") the clothier. Alterations in 1856 & 1866.

Monument Type(s):

• CHURCH (11th century to 15th century - 1080 AD to 1500 AD?)
• PARISH CHURCH (16th century - 1520 AD? to 1532 AD)

Full Description

St Nicolas is a Grade I listed church in the centre of Newbury, south of the river Kennet on Bartholomew Street <1>. It was probably built built between 1520 and 1532 (pers comm David Peacock), the majority of the work financed by the cloth merchant John Smallwood (alias Winchcombe) (Jack of Newbury). It is in a Perpendicular style, but had extensive alterations in the 19th century, some of which were subsequently reversed. The church has a five bay nave and aisles, chancel with north and south chapels, half-enclosed west tower, north and south porches and vestry of 1866 <1>.

The previous church first mentioned in 1080, although not in Domesday <2>, probably stood on the same site. There appears to be scant earlier fabric in the Tudor church, although during the construction of a new heating system in the 1920s, evidence of an earlier building was seen under the porch <19>. A flint rubble wall was partly exposed during an evaluation in 1992 <25>.

The church contains a brass to the first John Smallwood or Winchcombe and his wife, Jack of Newbury's parents <28>. The pulpit is dated to 1607. Marks from Civil War fighting are said to be visible on the church tower <22>.

Further plans were drawn in 1865 by the architect Henry Woodyer and the church reopened in 1867<8>.

Woodyer's reredos was replaced in 1907 by one designed by Ninian Comper, and the east windows replaced in 1935. A restoration of the chancel in 1983-5 removed Woodyer's encaustic tiles, choir stalls and screen <8>.

On 7/11/1940, an incendiary bomb fell on the roof and toppled into the water tank <33>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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