St Nicolas' Church, Kings Norton Explained

The Parish Church of St Nicolas, Kings Norton
Dedication:St Nicholas
Denomination:Church of England
Churchmanship:Broad Church
Parish:Kings Norton
Diocese:Birmingham
Province:Canterbury
Rector:Rev. Larry Wright

St Nicolas' Church, Kings Norton, is the Anglican parish church of Kings Norton, in the Diocese of Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

History

A church has been located on this site as early as the 11th century when the Normans built a small, rectangular chapel. It is not known if this was the result of a rebuild of a previous church.[1] A church on this site has been recorded in documents since 1213.[2] The current St Nicolas's Church dates from the early 13th century,[3] and the spire was constructed between 1446 and 1475.[2] The Norman building was demolished in the 14th century when a new nave, both aisles and the chancel arch were constructed. In the 17th century, almost the whole of the south aisle was re-built, the chancel was re-roofed and the low pitched roof that covered the nave from the 15th century was replaced by a much steeper version. Both north aisle and south aisle were given four separate, high pitched roofs set side by side.[1] A parish was assigned to the church in 1846.[1]

The church was restored in 1863 by Ewan Christian and again in 1871 by W. J. Hopkins.[4] It is a Grade I listed building.

In 1898 the church started a mission in Cotteridge which later became St Agnes' Church, Cotteridge.

The Revd W. V. Awdry, author of The Railway Series including Thomas the Tank Engine was a curate from 1940 to 1946. The church stands next to the historic buildings of Saracen's Head, recently restored and named Saint Nicolas Place. On 11 October 2021 a plaque was unveiled inside the church bearing an engraving of Thomas.[5]

Churchyard

The churchyard, which has been extended to the west and (across a private road) to the north, contains war graves of eleven service personnel of World War I and seven of World War II.[6]

List of vicars and rectors

Bells

The church has ten bells with a tenor weight of . The ringing chamber is accessed via a wooden staircase of 54 steps.[7]

The ringing practice takes place every Tuesday from 19:45 to 21:00, and Sunday service ringing is from 09:50 to 10:30

There is a poem "The New Bell Wake" about these bells.[8]

Organ

Parts of the organ date from 1857 by J. Halmshaw, but it has been expanded and restored several times since. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

List of organists

List of assistant organists

See also

Other Medieval churches in Birmingham

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of St. Nicolas . Melling . J. V. . The Parish of Kings Norton . 2008-11-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919171116/http://www.kingsnorton.org.uk/thechurches/stnicolas/history_stnic.php . September 19, 2008 .
  2. Web site: Ink Drawing - St Nicholas Church Kings Norton - Kings Norton: The Green . Lockwood . Arthur . Barnsby, Jean . Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery . 2008-11-20.
  3. Book: Douglas Hickman. Birmingham. 1970. Studio Vista Limited.
  4. Book: Pevsner . Nikolaus . Nikolaus Pevsner . Wedgwood . Alexandra . The Buildings of England

    Warwickshire

    . 1966 . . Harmondsworth . 188.
  5. Web site: Plaque unveiled in Kings Norton marking the birthplace of Thomas the Tank Engine stories . ITV News . 13 October 2021.
  6. http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/45017/KINGS%20NORTON*20(ST.%20NICOLAS)%20CHURCHYARD
  7. Web site: Bell Ringing at St Nicolas, Kings Norton . 2008-03-03. The Worcestershire & Districts Change Ringing Association . 2008-11-20.
  8. Web site: The New Bell Wake (A poem in St Nicolas Church, after installation of new bells) . c. 1783 .

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