The Parish Church of Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas was a 4th. Century minor bishop in Asia Minor. He is the patron saint of sailors, pawnbrokers and of children. His emblem is three golden balls, from the legend that Nicholas helped three girls by giving them three round bags of gold.

Saint Nicholas Church was completed in 1119*1. There had been a previous church- that of Saint Bennet. Whether St.Nicholas' church was built on the same site or not is unknown. It is likely though that Saint Nicholas' is not the first building on its site. Archaeological investigation has not been undertaken on this site, but recent investigations elsewhere have usually revealed previous structures much earlier than ever anticipated, such as St. Paul in the Bail at Lincoln.*3

The original Norman Church of St.Nicholas is thought to have been considerably smaller than the present, which would have been even larger than it is, but for the plague, which interrupted the work on a considerable extension towards the west. This extension had been started in 1330, and would have been 107 feet north to south, and 47 feet east to west . This structure was never completed. Some of the stone from this extension was later used to repair the piers at the harbour entrance. Other parts of it were used to strengthen the town's fortifications, and in 1714, what remained was used to build St.George's Chapel.

Palmer though that the church would have been at its absolute best late in the 15th. century, at which time it was covered with intricate wall paintings. All the walls were stained glass, and the monuments were of brass. There was a richly carved stone reredos at the back of the high alter, and the church was rich with silver plate and jeweled religious objects. There was a richly carved rood loft across the west end of the middle isle of the chancel. Candles burned day and night in front of statues of the saints, situated throughout the church. At that time there were Benedictine monks in their costumes, and priests and chaplains in magnificent robes performed the services.

As early as 1465, there was an organ in the church, and in 1485, there were both the "old organ" and a "new organ".

The old West Gate, as painted by Winter (a collection of small water-colours in a book in the central library).

Parliament in 1644 decreed that there would be no organs to remain, hymn books were to be torn up, and the glass windows broken. The brass inscriptions were to be defaced and removed, and services abolished. Nevertheless, the organ in the Yarmouth Church was not destroyed until 1650. Its replacement in 1733 was said to be the best in England. There was in the church a very unusual revolving library table, with six shelves for books. This was preserved until the second world war, when it was destroyed along with the rest of the contents of the church, the spire and the roof, by an incendiary bomb.

The spire had always been a conspicuous feature in the town, and a landmark and seamark for sailors. It is to be hoped that one day it will be replaced. It was 186 feet tall, and had caught fire in 1683 from a lightning strike. A man called John Grice put the fire out, and was presented with a silver tankard.

Bells used to be cast in Yarmouth in the 17th. century. One bell in Martham Church had a date on it of 1674.

Although all of the brasses were removed from the church and cast (at London) into weights, there still are a few of the old carved stone memorial slabs upon the floor of the church. These include memorials to- William and Martha Burton (1659); Sam Fuller, who died in 1742; James Symonds, who died in 1688, aged 59, and Elizabeth his wife; Benjamin Errington, died 12/12/1730; Johnathan Symonds, died 9/8/1803, and Phyllis his wife. There is also a new memorial on the wall, to the Fisher Family, delineating-

William Fisher, 1725-1811, Mayor in 1766 and 1780

John Fisher, 1719-1775, Mayor in 1767

James Fisher, 1735-182-, Mayor in 1774 and 1809

(three brothers)

then sons of William above-

William Fisher, 1755-1835, Mayor 1786, 1799, and 1806

James Fisher, 1756-1837, Mayor 1788 and 1797

also, relationships not stated-

John Fisher, 1752-1835, Mayor in 1802 and 1811

John Goate Fisher, 1778-1861, Mayor in 1820.

West Door 1987

St Nicholas Church was completely burned out during an air raid in 1942. It was painstakingly rebuilt and the tower hung with new bells. Fifty three Yarmouth men were among the team that rebuilt the church. It had been rebuilt before in 1847-1880, when the walls that divided it internally were removed. Then it had been divided for the separate use of the independants and the Presbyterians.

The new bells were blessed and named at a service of thanksgiving held on 21st. June 1959. The service was taken by the Dean of Norwich, and attended by 3000 people. The bells were named after saints patron of the churches in the parish, and other important persons in its history, as follows- 1. Herbert (De Losinga, founder of the church); 2. Walter (Bishop Walter was responsible for enlarging the church in 1250); 3. Felix (the saint who brought Christianity to East Anglia); 4. Luke; 5. John; 6. James; 7.Gabriel; 8. Peter; 9. Paul; 10. George; 11. Andrew; 12. Thomas; and 13. Nicholas . In 1960 the whole church was ready to be consecrated. At this service, Launcelot Fleming the new Bishop of Norwich preached the sermon. In the congregation, the Mayor and Corporation sat upon seats acquired from St. Georges. The pulpit also was brought from St. Georges, and the tester from it was erected as a canopy for the font. The tester and pulpit are Georgian. A Norman font was acquired from a deserted village church at Highway in Wiltshire.

The Charnel House is seen on the Cottonian map, and was rectangular in shape, with a small turret at each corner. Situated in the churchyard, the charnel house was finished in 1308 by Sybilla, widow of William Flath. This stone building was used to store the bones dug up from the ground from time to time when new graves were dug upon old un-marked ones. Eventually the charnel house fell into ruin, and in 1588 was pulled down and the stone used to build the lower wall of the mount. The bones were removed to the lower part of King Henry's tower. (so there must have once been a doorway into that tower, although there is no sign now of where that might have been.

The roof being rebuilt post war, about 1958, picture by A. Wilson.

The roof of the church was replaced in the mid 19th. century, under instruction of the architect Mr. J. P. Seddon. The ceiling was replaced with oak panels, divided by ribs, and the ancient original carved bosses, with figures, emblems, and coats of arms, were replaced upon it. Fortunately these were painted in a series of fine watercolours by C. J. Winter*4, who also painstakingly recorded such other features as the old west gate to the churchyard, and important memorials inside the church, all of which were lost to posterity because of the destruction in 1940.

Notable were a bust in stone of Edward I, and on the ceiling, the arms of his son Thomas de Brotherton, whose arms remain on the outside of the south porch to this day. There were in the roof depicted also the arms of Edward III, and of his sons, the Black Prince, and the Dukes of Lancaster, York, and Gloucester.

The South Porch

Thomas De Brotherton was the first son of Edward I by his second wife, Margaret, born in 1300, became Duke of Norfolk. There seems to be some close connection of this man with Yarmouth, see the treatise via this hyperlink.

The Rev. Aitkin was vicar in the early war years, having been installed in 1920, serving the parish until his death in 1941. His wife served until 1962, and therefore witnessed the re-consecration of the church that took place in 1961, following the enormous works involved in total restoration.

Drawing of the Priory prior to restoration in mid 19^th C.

The Priory lies to the south of the church, and first built at the same time as that church. Then there were three monks, and one chaplain to the priory. They were Benedictine monks. The Dean of Yarmouth held his court at the Priory, for granting probate, letters of administration, and matrimonial cases

The Priory, 1987, MR

The priory was enlarged in 1260, and sometime after the Great Hall was built, which still stands but is now used as a "primary" or "first" school. Previously it took more senior pupils. A report written in 1847 mentions the priory, and describes the building as being stables, with a proposal to turn them into a school.*5

In ancient times the priory was used for the accommodation of important visitors. Richard II was one such visitor, entertained here in 1382, when viewing the fortifications. Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII, at that time wife of the Duke of Suffolk, stayed here for three days in 1514. Queen Elizabeth I planned to stay here in 1578, preparations were made, but due to an outbreak of plague in Norwich, she returned hastily to London instead.

*1 Palmer

*3 Current Archaeology no.129, May 1992.

*4 All in a book remaining in the central library.

*5 Memoirs Illustrative of History and Antiquities of Norfolk and the City of Norwich. Archaeological Institute of Gt.Britain and Ireland, 1847.