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St Nicholas

St Nicholas

Abbotsbury

Dorset

C14 north aisle wall and north porch.

Architectural Features

C14 West Tower, north of central axis, perhaps implying earlier aisleless church.

C15 rebuilding from the east end of the Chancel and addition of North Chapel.

C16, nave remodelled with rebuilt arcades.

Plaster ceiling of chancel inserted 1638.

2-light C14 window

3-light window with cinquefoiled lights in a pointed-arch head, C15.

2-light C14 window west of north porch.

The north porch, unbuttressed, has a C14 outer archway with chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed arch with pinnacles standing on corbels carved with grotesques.

West Tower, C15, of 3 stages with an embattled parapet and carved bosses on the parapet string.

Niche above the window with carving of The Trinity, c.C15.

South aisle, C16, with regular fenestration corresponding to bay divisions internally, windows with trefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a 3-centred head, labels over.

Blocked south doorway, C16.

C17 doorway between the 2 eastern-most windows, with 3-centred head and label, dated 1636.

Interior: 6 bays, early C16 north and south arcades with 2-centred and moulded arches springing from hollow-chamfered piers.

Carved foliage capitals.

Early C16 clerestorey has 5 windows.

Fittings: font, octagonal bowl, C15, base C20.

Pulpit: oak, octagonal with 3 ranges of enriched arched panels, early C17.

Monuments: Porch: Purbeck marble slab carved with figure of abbot with chasuble and maniple , c.1200.

Royal Arms: on front of west gallery, Hanoverian, carved in wood and coloured. (RCHM, Dorset I, p.l(l).)