St Nicholas of Myra's Church, Ozleworth
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas of Myra's Church, Ozleworth, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Ozleworth
, Gloucestershire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church is unusual because it is one of only two churches in Gloucestershire with a hexagonal tower, the other being St Lawrence's Church in Swindon
.
. The oldest part of the present church is the tower, which is Norman
in style, and which may have acted as the original nave
. It probably dates from the 12th century. During the following century a small nave was added to the west of the tower, and the chancel
was added to its east side. At that time the nave measured 21 in 6 in (6.55 m) by 13 in 8 in (4.17 m). In 1732 a west gallery was erected; this was approached from the outside of the church by steps and a south doorway. In 1873 the church was restored
by Rev W. H. Lowder. At this time the nave was lengthened by 11 feet (3.4 m). The church was declared redundant on 1 March 1981, and was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 27 October 1982.
head. At the east end is a two-light window above which is a gable
with a cross at its apex. The windows in the nave are similar in style to those in the chancel, and between the two windows on the north side is a blocked doorway. The south porch is opposite to this and is gabled. Its inner doorway, dating from the 13th century, has two orders and is elaborately carved. Inside the church, the west tower arch is also elaborately carved. The font
dates from the 13th century. In the east window are fragments of medieval
stained glass, depicting a saint's head. In the southwest window of the tower are four panels of painted Flemish glass dating from the 16th or 17th century. The remainder of the stained glass is from the 19th century.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Ozleworth
Ozleworth
Ozleworth is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, approximately south of Gloucester. It lies in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History:...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church is unusual because it is one of only two churches in Gloucestershire with a hexagonal tower, the other being St Lawrence's Church in Swindon
Swindon Village
Swindon Village is both a village and a suburb in the spa town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. It is located northwest of Arle.Features of Swindon Village include:...
.
History
The church stands in a circular churchyard, suggesting that there was an earlier church on the site, or even that the site could be pre-Christian. However, there is no mention of the church in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. The oldest part of the present church is the tower, which is Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
in style, and which may have acted as the original 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...
. It probably dates from the 12th century. During the following century a small nave was added to the west of the tower, 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...
was added to its east side. At that time the nave measured 21 in 6 in (6.55 m) by 13 in 8 in (4.17 m). In 1732 a west gallery was erected; this was approached from the outside of the church by steps and a south doorway. In 1873 the church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
by Rev W. H. Lowder. At this time the nave was lengthened by 11 feet (3.4 m). The church was declared redundant on 1 March 1981, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 27 October 1982.
Architecture
The church is constructed in stone, with stone slate roofs. At its centre is a Norman tower, the plan of which is an irregular hexagon. To the east of the tower is a chancel, and to the west is a nave with a south porch. The nave now measures 33 feet (10.1 m) in length. The chancel is about 21 in 6 in (6.55 m) long; its width tapers from 12 in 1 in (3.68 m) at the western end to 11 in 3 in (3.43 m) at the east. The tower is divided into three stages by string courses. In the top stage, in each face, is a two-light window under a round-headed arch. On the summit is a pyramidal roof. In the north and south chancel walls are two single-light windows; between those on the north side is a priest's door with a trefoilTrefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
head. At the east end is a two-light window above which is a 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...
with a cross at its apex. The windows in the nave are similar in style to those in the chancel, and between the two windows on the north side is a blocked doorway. The south porch is opposite to this and is gabled. Its inner doorway, dating from the 13th century, has two orders and is elaborately carved. Inside the church, the west tower arch is also elaborately carved. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from the 13th century. In the east window are fragments of medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
stained glass, depicting a saint's head. In the southwest window of the tower are four panels of painted Flemish glass dating from the 16th or 17th century. The remainder of the stained glass is from the 19th century.