St Nicholas Church, Pluckley

1.1. St Nicholas Church, Pluckley

Located on the north side of The Street, Pluckley, the Church of St Nicholas is a Grade I listed building largely dating to the 14th century.

Explore the full virtual tour [here](https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/models/st-nicholas-church-pluckley)

1.2. Processional route

A gateway from The Street forms the main processional route to the south door of the church.

1.3. Churchyard

The surrounding churchyard contains 18th-century chest tombs—large above-ground tombs shaped like rectangular stone boxes.

1.4. Architecture

The church consists of a chancel, south chapel, nave with south aisle, south Parvis porch and west tower with broached shingled spire.

See [exterior model](https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/models/st-thomas-a-becket-capel?model=22af7f05405a4b6a82a21454e3091282)

1.5. Ground plan

St Nicholas Church consists of a chancel, south chapel, nave with south aisle, a south parvis porch, and a west tower, forming a layout typical of a medieval parish church.

1.6. 14th and 15th centuries

The chancel, nave, and tower date from the 14th century, while the south (Dering) chapel, south aisle, and porch were added in the 15th century.

1.7. Spire

The west tower is topped by a broached shingled spire—a wooden spire that transitions from a square tower base into an octagonal form using sloping triangular faces called broaches, and covered with wooden shingles.

1.8. Reused tiles

Reused ceramic bricks or tiles are found in the north wall of the nave.

1.9. 13th-century lancets

Two outer edges of two blocked windows on each side of the east window are the remnants of 13th-century lancets.

1.10. Blocked window

The window at the east end of the south aisle has been blocked and the area forms the Dering chapel.

1.11. North nave wall

The North wall of the Nave is split into 3 bays by two lean to buttresses. The western most bay (i.e. Tower end) is of a different construction with a clear line of a former roof level about three-quarters of the height of the wall. It is not known if this is part of an earlier structure.

1.12. South Porch

The South Porch is thought to be a 15th century addition, circa 1475, to the 14th century South Aisle. It has a two-light 15th century style window on the south elevation above the main entrance door.

1.13. Parvis Room

The south porch includes a Parvis Room, accessed from stairs in the south aisle.

1.14. 15th century

The two and three-light windows to either side of the Porch are also 15th century in style.

1.15. Belfry

The Belfry contains a ring of 6 bells.

2.1. Brasses

2.2. Dering Chapel

2.3. Dering Chapel screen, 1635

The screen between the Chapel and South Aisle – and what you see today - dates from 1635 and is in the classical style.

2.4. Parclose screen

A Parclose screen; a screen or railing used to enclose or separate-off a chantry chapel, divides the chancel and what is now the Dering chapel.

2.5. Sedilia

Next to it is a double sedilia, a pair of recessed stone seats for clergy officiating at the Mass.

2.6. Piscina

The chancel includes a piscina—a stone basin used for washing Communion vessels—set into the wall.

2.7. Lepers window?

The niche to the north side of the altar and to the right of the Vestry door may be the remnants of a ‘Lepers Window’; a small, low window in the outer wall of medieval churches, allowing lepers and other excluded people (like hermits) to observe Mass.

2.8. Organ

2.9. Carpet

2.10. Tapestry

2.11. Pluckey Patriots

2.12. Roll of honour

2.13. Font

2.14. Stained Glass

2.15. Stained glass

2.16. Plaque

2.17. Plaque

2.18. Plaque

2.19. Plaque

2.20. Plaque

2.21. Crown-post roof

The nave is covered by a crown-post roof, a medieval timber roof in which vertical posts rise from tie beams to support the central ridge; here there are five crown posts. The internal roof of the Nave is circa early 15th century in date

2.22. Bell Tower

2.23. Round windows

Above the easternmost crown post are two tiny round windows, small circular openings that bring light into the roof space.

2.24. Box pews

The church retains box pews, enclosed wooden pews typical of the 17th–19th centuries.

2.25. South Door

The south door entry into the church is though to be a 14th century stone doorway with a 17th century timber door.

2.26. Hypocaust

Grills in the nave cover the Mitchells Patent Reverberating Smoke Consuming Hypocaust for warming the Church.

2.27. Pluckley brick works

The nave is floored with bricks from the Pluckley Brick Works.

2.28. Gallery?

A gallery may have once been located across the west internal gable wall diving the nave form the Tower.

2.29. Vestry door

A mediaeval doorway now forms the entrance to the Vestry. The door is Victorian timber.