Church Heritage Record 613098

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Hetton-le-Hole: St Nicholas

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Hetton-le-Hole: St Nicholas
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Ruin
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

613098
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

Durham
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Sunderland
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

Saint Michael and Saint Nicholas, Hetton-Lyons with Eppleton

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is not a Listed Building
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

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Exterior Image

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Summary Description

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The present church of St Nicholas was built in 1895-1901 to the design of S Piper, replacing an earlier smaller church. The church consists of a broad 3-bay nave with narrow aisles, the chancel flanked by short transepts with a Lady chapel to its south, and vestry and organ chamber to its north. It is a large building, without much vertical emphasis. The overall simplified Early English design has a robust plainness about it with a strong resemblance to the slightly earlier Gateshead St George by the same designer.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is closed for worship.
Date closed for worship:
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

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Sources and Further Information

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James Miles (2018) Closed Churches [Digital Archive/Data]
ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~47294~109414 [Archive/Graphic material]

Groundplan

ICBS File Number - 00815

Coverage - 1833

Created by ?ANDERSON, John: fl. 1825-32 of County Durham

ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~146071~120421 [Archive/Graphic material]

Perspective

ICBS File Number - 10066

Coverage - 1897-1901

Created by PIPER, Stephen: fl. 1886-96 of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~146081~120422 [Archive/Graphic material]

Groundplan

ICBS File Number - 10066

Coverage - 1901

Created by PIPER, Stephen: fl. 1886-96 of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 1 Bell [Archive/Index]
1 Bell

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: NZ 353 474

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

Metropolitan District:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Sunderland District (B)

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

The church is located in the centre of the village, just east of the Al82 road from Houghton-le-Spring to Easington. The west front of the church is set back slightly from the main street, with some trees in front of it, and because of this and the layout of the surrounding buildings, it is not prominent.  To the south and east there is a large closed churchyard with mature trees, while to the north there is only restricted space, the northern boundary shared with adjacent premises, and with parts of the boundary wall collapsed. 

 

Church Plan

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Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

The church consists of a broad 3-bay nave with narrow aisles, the chancel flanked by short transepts with a Lady chapel to its south, and vestry and organ chamber to its north.

Dimensions

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

Nave 23m (70ft) by 8m (25ft).

Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

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Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

The present church of St Nicholas was built in 1895-1901 to the design of S Piper, replacing an earlier smaller church.  Piper was not prolific in this area, but did design two churches in nearby Gateshead; Holy Trinity, (the 1893-94 extension to the medieval St Edmund's Chapel), and St George, which could be regarded as his most important work.

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

A large building, without much vertical emphasis. The overall simplified Early English design has a robust plainness about it with a strong resemblance to the slightly earlier Gateshead St George by the same designer.

The high nave has a good picturesque west front with gabled buttresses, the gable filled with a group of five stepped lancets within a broad, chamfered containing arch without hood-mould.  Above this is a belcote with a single bell. On the ground floor is the baptistery with three parallel gables, each with single lancet windows within containing arches; to the north west projects a semi-octagonal choir vestry, and to the south the main entrance porch under a low gable.

The west front is dressed in squared rock-face sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, but the remainder of the church is built in roughly squared rubble, with minimal dressings to quoins and window surrounds.  The three-bay aisles to the nave are defined by plain strip pilasters, with three stepped lancets to each bay.  The south transept and chancel have slightly projecting corner buttresses, and the triple lancets of the transepts are set off within containing arches, unlike the lancets of the chancel east gable, which are separated by a pair of tall buttresses of extremely deep prediction, giving a very odd appearance to the eastern views of the church.

The east gable of the Lady chapel has a large three light window with intersecting tracery, while the organ chamber and vestry have eastward sloping lean-to roofs, the whole north side of the church being treated in as simple a manner are as possible. The roofs are covered in Welsh slates, the chancel roof-line only slightly lower than that of the nave, and the transepts slightly lower again.

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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Who:
S Piper
Role:
Architect
From:
01 Jan 1895
To:
31 Dec 1901
Contribution:

Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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Collapse Building Fabric and FeaturesBuilding Fabric and Features
STAINED GLASS (Late 19th Century)
STAINED GLASS (1865)
STAINED GLASS (1877)
STAINED GLASS (1903)
STAINED GLASS (c. 1910)
STAINED GLASS (1987)

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Collapse Building MaterialsBuilding Materials
SANDSTONE (Unknown)
SLATE (Unknown)

Interior Image

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Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The interior of the church continues the affinity with its Gateshead contemporary, with tall, square, slightly chamfered stone piers, and double-chamfered arches high up dying into them (but these nave arches are plastered, as are the walls of the church interior).  It is only the three high and wide double-chamfered arches to the chancel and the transepts which are of stone, the inner orders carried on moulded corbels. The Baptistry at the west end of the nave also has three lower level arches following the same general design.

The nave aisles have very tall and narrow arches at their eastern ends leading into the transepts, and it is the southern of these arches where the structural movements in the fabric manifest themselves, with cracks clearly evident and the areas underneath taped off.

The east wall of the chancel is pierced by three stepped lancets, and the north side of the chancel has the organ set within a high arch; the south side of the chancel has four clearstorey windows above the pair of arches to the Lady Chapel, the arches repeating the design of the nave arcades, except at a lower level. 

The nave ceiling is timber-boarded in the form of a slightly pointed barrel-roof above projecting eaves-cornices, with ribs brought down at the bay-centres; the barrel form and diagonal ribs continue over the crossing. The roof of the chancel also continues the same barrel ceiling.

The floors are laid with red carpet throughout over pitch pine floor, timber boards under the pews.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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Collapse Internal Fixtures and FittingsInternal Fixtures and Fittings
ALTAR (1905)
BELL (1 of 1)
FONT (OBJECT) (1900)
LECTERN (1900)
PULPIT (1900)
REREDOS (1900)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

Work in progress - can you help?

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: NZ 353 474

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

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Ecological Designations

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The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Ruin.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Ruin.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Ruin.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

The church has no evidence of bats

Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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The churchyard does not have war graves.

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Ruin.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Ruin.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

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Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Ruin

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
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Fabric Significance Level:
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Fabric Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
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Interior Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
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Interior Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Level:
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Community Significance Description:
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Church Renewables

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Open the map of church renewable installations
Solar PV Panels:

This information forms part of the Shrinking the Footprint project.

No
Solar Thermal Panels:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Bio Mass:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Air Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Ground Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Wind Turbine:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
EV Car Charging:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Unknown

Species Summary

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All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Ruin . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

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If any of the following species have been seen close to the Ruin, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Ruin, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Ruin. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Ruin and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Ruin, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

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WhoActionWhen
Oliver LackAdded SourceFri 05 Aug 2022 13:29:29
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionFri 05 Aug 2022 13:28:57
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionFri 05 Aug 2022 13:28:48
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:26:22
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:25:58
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:25:28
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:25:08
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:24:40
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:24:08
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeFri 05 Aug 2022 13:22:57
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