St Nicholas's Church, Leeds
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas's is a parish church
in Leeds
, Kent
begun in the 11th century with additions in the next five centuries. It is a Grade I listed building.
with a roof covered in plain clay tiles. The large square tower on the west end is of two levels with broad buttress
es and quoined
corners of tufa. The north and south sides of the tower have windows with semi-circular heads and the west side has two lancet window
s and a pointed arched door. The roof level has a battlement
ed parapet
with a timber spire built in 1963 in the style of an earlier 15th century spire. The church clock was built in the 1730s and the tower contains a ring of bells
consisting of ten bells; nine dating from the 1750s with the tenor bell cast in 1617.
The main body of the church is constructed of ragstone with tufa inclusions and has clay-tiled roofs. The nave
is flanked by aisles on the north and south sides and the chancel
has chapel
s on both of these sides. On the north side, the aisle is 12th century with a cornice
and parapet, three buttresses and two large two-lighted quatrefoil
ed windows. The northern chapel is 15th century with the cornice and parapet continued from the aisle and a three-lighted window.
The south aisle was possibly built in the 12th century, but is mostly 14th century with later modifications. It has a cornice and parapet similar to the north side of the church and prominent buttresses flanking a pair of 19th century three-lighted windows in 14th century style. At the west end of the south aisle is a 19th century gable
d porch in 13th century style, containing a pointed arch doorway with small window above. The south chapel is also 14th century with 15th century windows, the one on the south side being three-lighted above a later rectangular door. The chancel was possibly reconstructed in the 16th century and has narrow round-topped windows at the east end of the north and south walls. The main east window is cuspless.
Internally, the three-bay
arcades
on each side of the nave are 15th century and are divided by hollow-chamfer
ed octagonal columns with moulded
capitals
and bases. The arch dividing the nave from the chancel is 15th century as are the arched openings between each of the aisles and corresponding chancel chapels – the north aisle arch has round columns and those to the south aisle arch are semi-octagonal. The wall to the chancel contains squints
on each side. The structure of the nave roof has crown posts
and tie beams. The roof of the chancel is barrel vault
ed with moulded bosses
.
The south wall of the chancel contains a three seat sedilia
and a piscina
. Piscina are also located in the south wall of the north aisle, the south wall of the south chapel and by the south door. A 17th century staircase on the north wall of the tower leads to the bell chamber. The 15th centuryrood screen
across the east end of nave and both aisles is of eleven panels with fine tracery with slender columns supporting a intricately carved 19th century fan vault
and walkway. Each chapel contains a 15th century parclose screen. The church contains memorials to William Merden (d. 1509), Katherine Lambe (d. 1514) and Jane, Dowager Countess of Carbery (d. 1634, second wife of John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery
). Sir William Meredith (d. 1675), Henry Meredith (d. 1710) and Sir Roger Meredith
(d. 1738) also have memorials.
The churchyard contains a number of tombs, memorials and monuments; seven of which are listed Grade II.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Leeds
Leeds, Kent
Leeds is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located to the east of Maidstone.The village of Leeds is five miles from the county town. It appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 called Esledes - an old English word meaning slope or hillside...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
begun in the 11th century with additions in the next five centuries. It is a Grade I listed building.
Building
Construction of the church began in the 11th century; it is built of a mix of local ragstone and tufaTufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
with a roof covered in plain clay tiles. The large square tower on the west end is of two levels with broad buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es and quoined
Quoin (architecture)
Quoins are the cornerstones of brick or stone walls. Quoins may be either structural or decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the impression of strength and firmness to the outline of a building...
corners of tufa. The north and south sides of the tower have windows with semi-circular heads and the west side has two lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s and a pointed arched door. The roof level has a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
with a timber spire built in 1963 in the style of an earlier 15th century spire. The church clock was built in the 1730s and the tower contains a ring of bells
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consisting of ten bells; nine dating from the 1750s with the tenor bell cast in 1617.
The main body of the church is constructed of ragstone with tufa inclusions and has clay-tiled roofs. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is flanked by aisles on the north and south sides and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
has chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s on both of these sides. On the north side, the aisle is 12th century with a cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
and parapet, three buttresses and two large two-lighted quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
ed windows. The northern chapel is 15th century with the cornice and parapet continued from the aisle and a three-lighted window.
The south aisle was possibly built in the 12th century, but is mostly 14th century with later modifications. It has a cornice and parapet similar to the north side of the church and prominent buttresses flanking a pair of 19th century three-lighted windows in 14th century style. At the west end of the south aisle is a 19th century gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d porch in 13th century style, containing a pointed arch doorway with small window above. The south chapel is also 14th century with 15th century windows, the one on the south side being three-lighted above a later rectangular door. The chancel was possibly reconstructed in the 16th century and has narrow round-topped windows at the east end of the north and south walls. The main east window is cuspless.
Internally, the three-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
on each side of the nave are 15th century and are divided by hollow-chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed octagonal columns with moulded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
capitals
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
and bases. The arch dividing the nave from the chancel is 15th century as are the arched openings between each of the aisles and corresponding chancel chapels – the north aisle arch has round columns and those to the south aisle arch are semi-octagonal. The wall to the chancel contains squints
Hagioscope
A hagioscope or squint, in architecture, is an opening through the wall of a church in an oblique direction, to enable the worshippers in the transepts or other parts of the church, from which the altar was not visible, to see the elevation of the host.Hagioscopes were also sometimes known as...
on each side. The structure of the nave roof has crown posts
King post
A king post is a central vertical supporting post used in architectural, bridge, or aircraft design applications.-Architecture:...
and tie beams. The roof of the chancel is barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
ed with moulded bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
.
The south wall of the chancel contains a three seat sedilia
Sedilia
Sedilia , in ecclesiastical architecture, is the term used to describe stone seats, usually to be found on the south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for the use of the officiating priests...
and a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
. Piscina are also located in the south wall of the north aisle, the south wall of the south chapel and by the south door. A 17th century staircase on the north wall of the tower leads to the bell chamber. The 15th centuryrood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
across the east end of nave and both aisles is of eleven panels with fine tracery with slender columns supporting a intricately carved 19th century fan vault
Fan vault
thumb|right|250px|Fan vaulting over the nave at Bath Abbey, Bath, England. Made from local Bath stone, this is a [[Victorian restoration]] of the original roof of 1608....
and walkway. Each chapel contains a 15th century parclose screen. The church contains memorials to William Merden (d. 1509), Katherine Lambe (d. 1514) and Jane, Dowager Countess of Carbery (d. 1634, second wife of John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery
John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery
John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery was a Welsh courtier and politician. He served Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and later Prince Charles, heir to the throne of King James I...
). Sir William Meredith (d. 1675), Henry Meredith (d. 1710) and Sir Roger Meredith
Sir Roger Meredith, 5th Baronet
Sir Roger Meredith, 5th Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1727 to 1734.Meredith was the son of Sir Richard Meredith, 2nd Baronet and his wife Susanna Skippon, daughter of Philip Skippon of Foulsham Norfolk...
(d. 1738) also have memorials.
The churchyard contains a number of tombs, memorials and monuments; seven of which are listed Grade II.