Church Heritage Record 614107

There is known to have been a Church in the Wilbrahams in Anglo–Saxon times.  A 10th Century document records a grant of a church and forty acres to the newly formed Denny Abbey, probably in 970. In 1160 the Church was given to Ely Priory’s newly formed cell at Denny and by the turn of the century the monks had granted it to the Knights Templars. In 1313 their lands, including the Church, were given to the Knights Hospitallers of St John, the Templars’ great rivals, and they held the patronage until the early 16th Century.  During this period, in about 1520, the Church was dedicated to St Nicholas.  

After the suppression of the religious orders during the reign of Henry VIII, the manor was given to Sir John Huddlestone. 

Part of the north wall of the nave is thought to be the only remaining part of the 12th century building.  A small Norman window in this wall was discovered during repairs in 1893.

Simple lancets survive from the 13th century rebuilding in the Northern nave wall, chancel and South transept West wall.  New square headed windows were added to the South nave wall in the 14th century including a ‘low side’ window and the three-stage West tower was built in about 1400, with a tall perpendicular window. 

The Church building remained largely unchanged through the early part of the 19th Century, although the north transept fell down in around 1844 and was rebuilt two years later, its north window being replaced with three lancets allegedly reusing original stonework.  Further restorations were made between 1870 and the end of the century, including a new nave roof and the removal of a singers' gallery across the tower.

It is built of fieldstones, originally dressed with clunch but later replaced with limestone.  Part of the North wall of the nave is thought to be the only remaining part of the 12th Century building.  A small Norman window in this wall was discovered during repairs in 1893. 

The church was remodelled in a cruciform plan and probably enlarged in two phases, with later additions to the nave and chancel. 

On the exterior of the Church building, variations in the style and ‘texture’ of the flint work to several elevations, particularly to the North wall of the Chancel, could indicate the different ages of the building, giving some idea of its earlier size before the Nave and Chancel were enlarged and the two transepts added. A similar variation can be seen to the North wall of the Nave, beyond the buttress.

Also in the North Chancel wall there is a small blocked door now corresponding to the position of one of the memorial tablets internally and a high level blocked opening in the corner by the transept, probably originally leading to the rood loft.

The North transept was rebuilt during the mid 19th Century with a three lancet window at the North end. The North wall of the nave again shows signs of having been lengthened beyond the buttress.

The West tower dates from the late middle ages, replacing the original crossing tower.  It has diagonal buttresses, stepped battlements and pinnacles at the angles. 

Upon entering the nave the late Norman font, dating from 1150 takes pride of place in the newly opened up area in the west end. 

The view from the Nave towards the Chancel is dominated by four steep Early English crossing arches which probably originally supported a lantern tower, which was replaced in the late Middle Ages by the present West tower.  The arches are identical except for the fine-keeled mouldings to the nave facing side of the Western arch.  Elsewhere there are semi octagonal responds, plainly moulded capitals and double chamfered arches.  Chequer work patterns on the arches are believed to date from the 14th century. 

To the North wall, two Early English lancet windows flank a smaller Norman high level window opening thought to be the only remaining feature of the original 12th century building. The stained glass was an early work by the renowned Arts and Crafts artist Christopher Whall in 1895/6. This opening is mirrored on the opposite side of the Nave by faint traces of a similar window in the plaster of the South wall.  The larger windows survive from the 13th century rebuilding.  The later windows to the South are excellent perpendicular. 

The North Transept, which was rebuilt in the mid 19th Century is used as a vestry.

In the South transept, or Lady Chapel, there is a large blocked arch to the left, which originally opened into a separate chapel.  This has a dogtooth decoration and a dripstone in stiff-leaved stops.  To the right of the arch there is a small piscina.  The West wall has two small lancets and South end a fine four light perpendicular window.

The East Chancel window has a stepped triplet of lancets, within arcading and banded shafts.  The stained glass is a late work by Charles Kempe, given in memory of Stanley Edward Hicks, after his death in 1900.  The North wall has a blocked aumbrey, where sacred vessels were once stored, and two small openings to a former rood loft.

Moulding around the door opening to the South wall of the Chancel is probably contemporary with the blocked arch in the South transept.  There is a two-light transomed perpendicular window to the West end of this wall.