St Nicholas' Church, Freefolk
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas' Church, Freefolk, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Freefolk
, Hampshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands to the south of the B3400 road and the River Test
, some 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Whitchurch
.
, but the present church dates from the 13th century. The windows and chancel
screen were added in the 15th century. In 1703 the interior of the church was remodelled. During the 19th century the parish of Freefolk was united with that of Laverstoke
. In 1896 a new, larger church was built to the north, on the other side of the road, and the functions of St Nicholas' were transferred to this church, St Mary's, Laverstoke. St Nicholas' was declared redundant on 11 December 1974 and was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 27 October 1976.
with stone dressings. Its walls are partly rendered
, and are supported by brick buttress
es. The roof is tiled. At the west end of the roof is a weatherboarded
bellcote with a lead-covered pyramidal roof. The windows are Perpendicular in style, those on the sides (two on the north, three on the south) having a single light, the west window has two lights and the east window three lights. On the south side is a doorway, above which is a plaque bearing the date 1703.
cornice
dating from 1703. On the east wall of the church, on each side of the altar, are painted boards containing the Lord's prayer
and the Creed, and on the south wall is a large board inscribed with the Ten Commandments
. On the north wall, opposite the south door, are three layers of wall paintings. To the east of this is the large Jacobean
monument to Sir Richard Powlett who died in 1614. This consists of a recumbent effigy
on a tomb chest with an elaborate surround enclosed in wrought iron
railings. At the west end of the church is a 15th-century screen. Also in the church are two hatchment
s, a Royal arms
dated 1701, and a Victorian
font
.
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 Freefolk
Freefolk
Freefolk is a village in Hampshire, England. It lies to the west and almost directly alongside the village of Laverstoke; the two villages are separated by the River Test....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, 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 I 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 stands to the south of the B3400 road and the River Test
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
, some 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Hampshire
Whitchurch is a town in Hampshire, England. It is on the River Test, from Newbury, Berkshire, from Winchester, miles from Andover and miles from Basingstoke. Much of the town is a Conservation Area. Because of the amount of wildlife in and near the river, parts of the town are designated as...
.
History
The presence of a church on the site was recorded 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...
, but the present church dates from the 13th century. The windows and 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...
screen were added in the 15th century. In 1703 the interior of the church was remodelled. During the 19th century the parish of Freefolk was united with that of Laverstoke
Laverstoke
Laverstoke is a village in the north of Hampshire, England. It forms a parish with the nearby village of Freefolk.Businesses include Laverstoke Park Farm-Literature:...
. In 1896 a new, larger church was built to the north, on the other side of the road, and the functions of St Nicholas' were transferred to this church, St Mary's, Laverstoke. St Nicholas' was declared redundant on 11 December 1974 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 1976.
Exterior
The church consists of a single rectangular cell measuring 36 feet (11 m) by 15 in 3 in (4.65 m). It is constructed in stone rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
with stone dressings. Its walls are partly rendered
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
, and are supported by brick buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es. The roof is tiled. At the west end of the roof is a weatherboarded
Weatherboarding
Weatherboarding is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontally on the outside of the wall. They are usually of rectangular section with parallel sides...
bellcote with a lead-covered pyramidal roof. The windows are Perpendicular in style, those on the sides (two on the north, three on the south) having a single light, the west window has two lights and the east window three lights. On the south side is a doorway, above which is a plaque bearing the date 1703.
Interior
Around the interior of the church is a mouldedMolding (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...
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...
dating from 1703. On the east wall of the church, on each side of the altar, are painted boards containing the Lord's prayer
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
and the Creed, and on the south wall is a large board inscribed with the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
. On the north wall, opposite the south door, are three layers of wall paintings. To the east of this is the large Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
monument to Sir Richard Powlett who died in 1614. This consists of a recumbent effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
on a tomb chest with an elaborate surround enclosed in wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
railings. At the west end of the church is a 15th-century screen. Also in the church are two hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s, a Royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
dated 1701, and a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
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:...
.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England