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ST NICHOLAS CHURCH BISHOPS SUTTON
St Nicholas’ church has a nave of 55ft 6 ins long and 20ft wide and a chancel which comprises of many different dates of construction, with its walls being over 3ft thick and are probably of Norman origin. The arch that separates the chancel from the nave was rebuilt around the 13th century. The walls are made up of flint rubble mixed with some Roman brick and originally would have had a covering of exterior plaster.
The roof is supported by large oak beams and at the west end of the nave there is an oak frame that supports the bell tower. Though the roof is tiled it is believed that it may have once been thatched or had wooden shingles.
SOUTH DOORWAY
The porch is of brick and was constructed during the 18th century and today it is protection for the south door of the church. There are Norman beak heads carved in chalk decorating the doorway and is of Scandinavian styling. There is a similarity in the decoration of the doorway between this church and that of St Mary’s at Iffley in Oxfordshire, and a bird window at St Cross in Winchester, which was also built by Henry de Blois albeit St Nicholas being far more modest. Two mass dials can be found on the south west quoin of the doorway and consist of a series of lines radiating from a centre point, the shadow thrown by the style onto the lines show what time mass was celebrated. The position of the sun over the seasons also meant that more dials were required and another can be seen on the south east quoin of the chancel just above a benchmark A Holy water stoup can also be found on the south east quoin of the doorway.
The Benchmark can be seen at the bottom with the mass dial above
on the brick above the mass dial to the left are six or seven small holes
the origin of which is unknown
THE NORTH DOORWAY
It was in 1882 that the vestry was added to the north wall of the nave in memory of Jane Parsons and this hides the Norman doorway, which is of a much plainer design.The ornamentation being a moulded wedge shaped projection. This doorway was locally known as the Devil’s doorway and was left open during baptism to allow the evil spirits to pass out.
THE NAVE
The upkeep of the nave was down to the parishioners and it retains its original Norman appearance with the proportion of the north and south doors being greatly emphasised by the two windows either side.
The font is unusually high and stands by the south door, it is 18th century and replaces the original one. During 1807, the Rev William Bingley who was curate of Christchurch described the original font as “the ancient font (now thrown aside) is octagonal on a stand of niche work: the modern one, a clumsy square basin, on a cylindrical pedestal”. The wooden cover was donated in 1940 by the Mothers Union.
A decorated window in the west wall that is of 14th century origin and above it is a narrow lancet that gives light to the second stage of the belfry.
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