Exterior St Nicholas' Church, Berden



tower west



south porch , nave


st nicholas’ of flint rubble, clunch , limestone construction, , cruciform footprint. comprises chancel, nave, north , south transepts, west tower , south porch, , of english , perpendicular style. roofs red tiled throughout.


the church s 15th-century three-stage tower of gothic perpendicular style. of approximately 12 feet (4 m) square in footprint, bottom stage contains door , window on west face. restored 15th-century door, faced decorative hinges, set within chamfered arch topped rectilinear enclosure; between , arch spandrels inset rosettes containing quatrefoils. around top of squared surround rectilinear hood mould. above door restored 15th-century perpendicular pointed arch window set within chamfered reveal. window of 3 lights outer arch spring, each ending in trefoil-headed arch. above lights panel tracery—a perpendicular style of upright straight openings above lower lights—leading further arches. around window opening arch hood mould. second tower stage west side, set back, contains narrow arrowslit window rebated within arch, possibly 15th-century. above apex of window opening small round stone carved diagonal cross inset. on south face c. 2000 tower clock; circular, convex, , gold numerals. belfry third stage, set again, contains restored 15th-century window opening on sides, of 2 lights trefoil heads, louvred, , ending in flattened pointed arch hood mould. tower parapet embattled. inset behind battlements four-sided pyramid stub spire. angled buttress runs height of first stage @ nave ends of north , south sides—english heritage states there no tower buttresses. bases of buttresses simple moulded socle (plinth) topped cill band—angled projection allows water flow building face— running around tower.


the nave approximately 44.5 feet (14 m) east west , 20 feet (6 m) north south. north side contains 19th-century window arched lancets , twin-stepped angle buttress. running off nave south side 1868 porch, door set within rounded arch opening following hood mould above. on both east , west sides small twin-light window ogee trefoiled head arches within rectilinear frame. porch roof steeply pitched , surmounted cross of celtic appearance. within porch, right of nave door opening 15th-century stoup worn basin within pointed recess. east of porch three-light flat-arched window cinquefoil heads, dated 15th century reused 13th-century material.


attached between nave , chancel north , south transepts. north transept 18.5 feet (5.6 m) east west, , 15.5 feet (4.7 m) north south. has 19th-century window of 3 lights below tracery on both east , north walls, both within 14th-century opening. west of north window 13th-century arched doorway, above small niche trefoil head. south transept 18.5 feet (5.6 m) east west, , 19 feet (5.8 m) north south. contains on east side restored 14th-century window ogee-headed twin lights , tracery within square head. south wall 14th-century window of ogee-headed twin lights , tracery arch surround , hood mould. south transept has twin-stepped diagonal buttresses.


the chancel 24 feet (7 m) east west, , 17 feet (5 m) north south. east chancel window, part of 1868 restoration, of 3 lights, centre light running chamfered window arch, outer lights running window arch spring. mullions have 3 part circular shafts dressing sitting on moulded bases, topped floriated capitals. above 2 outer lights quatrefoil rosettes set within fields of filigree style. hood mould joins 19th-century horizontal cill band, runs across wall face , continues in stepped fashion across east wall corner twin-stepped angle buttresses, , around north , south chancel walls. north , south chancel windows of same style, of 2 lights. north wall contains further c. 1270 single-lancet arched window, , arched door way of same date arch surrounded hood mould personified carved label stops.








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