St Nicolas Church, Newbury

St Nicolas Church stands in the centre of Newbury, just south of the main bridge over the River Kennet. It is the Church of England parish church and a Grade I listed building. The church is chiefly remarkable for its Perpendicular Gothic architectural style and its unusually large size for a parish church. It remains a lively and active church with a congregation of around 260. The church is dedicated to Saint Nicolas, Bishop of Myra in the fourth century. The present church was entirely rebuilt between 1509 and 1533 in the late Perpendicular style. The stonework includes devices such as the pomegranate and portcullis, which indicate it was built during the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. John Winchcombe, known as Jack of Newbury, funded the building of the church from the pulpit westward to the tower. The Victorians restored the church extensively but made no major structural alterations. It was designated as Grade I listed in 1950. The church has a typical parish church plan with nave and chancel, no transept, and large aisles. The west tower contains a peal of ten bells, with the tenor bell weighing 1093 kg. The stained glass windows date from the Victorian restoration by Henry Woodyer and were manufactured by Hardman & Co. There is also a Jacobean pulpit dating from 1607. The church continues to play a central role in the Christian and wider community of Newbury.