St Nicholas Church, North Walsham
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas Church is a parish church in the Church of England
, that can be found in the centre of North Walsham
, Norfolk
, England
. The building is well-known for its unique tower, of which only part remains.
' Plague in 1348 and again in 1361. The fatal epidemic
resulted in the lack of skilled craftsmen (a fact which necessitated the austere simple tracery
in most of the windows). There was another delay at the time of the Peasants' Revolt
in 1381. Several thousand labourers, led by local dyer John Litester, fled for sanctuary in the parish church following the Battle of North Walsham
. They were closely pursued by the warlike bishop of Norwich, Henry le Despenser. Showing no respect for the building to which they had fled, he had all who were captured killed instantly. A considerable amount of damage was inflicted upon the church by onslaught and fire but this was soon restored and the church was completed and then consecrated by the same bishop by the end of the fourteenth century.
The church was then dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
, the change to St. Nicholas only happening in later years after the Protestant Reformation
. Her statue, however, still occupies its prime position in the centre of the main entrance porch.
The Paston Way
(from North Walsham to Cromer
) starts at the parish church.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, that can be found in the centre of North Walsham
North Walsham
North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The building is well-known for its unique tower, of which only part remains.
History
The present church of North Walsham was commenced about the year 1330 although the Saxon Church was partially enlarged and altered around the year 1275 as a temporary measure to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding town. Work was interrupted by the 'Black DeathBlack Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
' Plague in 1348 and again in 1361. The fatal epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
resulted in the lack of skilled craftsmen (a fact which necessitated the austere simple tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
in most of the windows). There was another delay at the time of the Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
in 1381. Several thousand labourers, led by local dyer John Litester, fled for sanctuary in the parish church following the Battle of North Walsham
Battle of North Walsham
The Battle of North Walsham was a mediaeval battle fought on 25 or 26 June 1381, near the town of North Walsham in the English county of Norfolk, in which a large group of rebellious local peasants was confronted by the heavily armed forces of Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich...
. They were closely pursued by the warlike bishop of Norwich, Henry le Despenser. Showing no respect for the building to which they had fled, he had all who were captured killed instantly. A considerable amount of damage was inflicted upon the church by onslaught and fire but this was soon restored and the church was completed and then consecrated by the same bishop by the end of the fourteenth century.
The church was then dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, the change to St. Nicholas only happening in later years after the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Her statue, however, still occupies its prime position in the centre of the main entrance porch.
The Paston Way
Paston Way
Paston Way is a footpath is entirely within the English county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom. The footpath is twenty miles in length, the portals to the path are Cromer at its northwestern end and North Walsham at it southeastern end.-The Designation:...
(from North Walsham to Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
) starts at the parish church.