St Nicholas Church, Blakeney

St Nicholas Church in Blakeney is the Anglican parish church of Blakeney, a village on the North Norfolk coast in eastern England. It belongs to the deanery of Holt and the Diocese of Norwich, and it is one of the most distinctive medieval buildings in the area, best known for its two towers.

What is special about St Nicholas Church?

Most visitors notice the towers first. The main tower stands at the west end, as in most parish churches. A second, much smaller and slimmer tower rises at the east end, beside the chancel. It is too narrow to have been built for bells, and it is traditionally explained as a beacon tower: a light kept there is said to have guided ships towards the harbour at night. Accounts give its height as around 93 feet.

The church has a Grade I listing, the highest category in England, awarded for exceptional architectural interest. It was listed in March 1959. The building is therefore regarded as nationally important, not just a local landmark.

How old is the church?

The church was founded in the 13th century, but most of what you see today comes from the 15th century. At that time Blakeney was a seaport of some importance, and the town's prosperity paid for a large rebuilding. One source dates this major programme to 1434. Of the earlier structure only the chancel survived the work. It is often linked to a nearby Carmelite friary, which may explain why it was spared.

What can you see inside?

The chancel is the oldest part of the church and its architectural highlight. It has a vaulted ceiling with ribs and, at the east end, an unusual stepped window of seven lancets. Dating of the chancel varies slightly between sources, from the middle to the late 13th century. The chancel also contains several misericords, the small carved ledges on the underside of choir seats.

The nave is covered by a hammerbeam roof, a timber structure typical of late medieval East Anglian churches, which gives the main space an open and lofty feel.

Like many English churches, St Nicholas lost much of its early decoration and its stained glass during the Reformation in the 16th century. What remains is therefore mostly architecture: stone, timber and proportions rather than richly painted interiors.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the church have two towers? The larger west tower is the usual church tower. The smaller eastern one is too slender for bells and is traditionally described as a beacon for ships approaching the harbour.

Which part of the church is the oldest? The chancel. It is the only part of the original 13th-century building that survived the 15th-century rebuilding.

Is St Nicholas Church a listed building? Yes, it has a Grade I listing, given for its exceptional architectural interest.

Is it still a working church? Yes. It is the active Anglican parish church of Blakeney, in the Diocese of Norwich.

Where is it? In Blakeney, on the North Norfolk coast, at about 52.95 N, 1.02 E.