Church

St Nicholas, Alcester

St Nicholas, Alcester

St Nicholas is a Grade II* parish church on Church Street (Butter Street), Alcester, Warwickshire, in the Diocese of Coventry. Historic England records a medieval west tower with a Georgian nave and a Victorian Gothic chancel.

Location
Alcester, Warwickshire
Country
England
County
Warwickshire
City / town
Alcester
Address
Butter Street, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5AL
Postcode
B49 5AL
Built
C13–C15 tower; nave and aisles 1729–30; chancel and chapels 1870
Architect
Edward and Thomas Woodward (nave 1729–30); Frederick Preedy (1870 restoration)
Denomination
Church of England
Dedication
Nicholas
Diocese
Coventry
Parish
Alcester
Grade
II*
Style
Medieval tower with Georgian nave and Victorian Gothic chancel
Materials
Lias ashlar tower with yellow limestone parapet; limestone ashlar aisles, chancel and chapels; tiled chancel roofs
Grid reference
SP 090 574
Opening hours
Open dawn until dusk every day.
Access
Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby

Overview

The listing dates the tower as thirteenth-century below and fifteenth-century above (following the Buildings of England). Edward and Thomas Woodward rebuilt the nave and aisles in 1729–30. Frederick Preedy added the chancel, north and south chapels, window tracery and a restoration in 1870. The weathered tower is lias ashlar with a yellow limestone parapet, set-back west buttresses and a semi-octagonal stair turret. A Perpendicular west door has a four-centred arch under a square head; above is a three-light Decorated west window with flowing tracery. Two-light belfry openings have reticulated tracery. The five-bay aisles have three-light windows with four-centred heads. Chancel and chapels have tile roofs with coped gables.

The church is the historic parish church of the market town and now part of Alcester Minster. It is noted for monuments including the sixteenth-century Fulke Greville tomb. The building stands open from dawn to dusk in the town centre.

Further Information