St Nicholas' Church, Wallasey

History

Funding for the church was donated by members of the local Harrison family, and it was designed by the Liverpool architect J. F. Doyle. The foundation stone was laid by a member of the Harrison family on 26 April 1910. The church cost £15,000 to build and provided seating for up to 700 people. It was consecrated by the Rt Revd Francis Jayne, Bishop of Chester on 29 November 1911. It is known as the Harrison Memorial Church and, because of its proximity to Wallasey Golf Club, as the Golfers' Church.

Exterior

St Nicholas' Church is built in Storeton sandstone and is roofed with Yorkshire stone flags. The church is orientated in the opposite direction from the usual liturgical orientation, with its chancel at the west end. It is built on sand and therefore stands on a raft of steel and concrete. The church has a cruciform plan, with a central tower above the crossing, a nave and a chancel, both with clerestories, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, north and south porches, a chancel, a south Lady Chapel, and a north vestry. The tower has louvred bell openings, a battlemented parapet, and an octagonal stair turret on the northwest corner. The windows contain curvilinear tracery. Carvings by Norbury and Sons are located around the doors and windows and along the sides of the church. These include depictions of King George V and Queen Mary, King Edward I and Queen Eleanor, and foliage, seaweed, a dragon, and a medieval monk.

Interior

Inside the church, the arcades have quatrefoil piers, pointed arches, and capitals with carvings that include the Four Evangelists, a ship, an anchor, seaweed, and the emblems of Saint Nicholas. There are also carvings of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Saint Peter, and Saint Nicholas. In the chancel are carvings of cherubs and angels, and wooden corbels carved with seaweed, fish, a cross, an anchor, a heart, and a crown. The oak reredos was designed by Doyle; it is 15 feet (4.6 m) high and is intricately decorated. In the central panel are carvings of Christ on the cross flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John, and the outer panels contain angels. The canopy is elaborately decorated and has pinnacles, crockets, and openwork. The lectern is in the form of an eagle, and its pedestal stands on the backs of three lions. The pulpit is approached by seven steps and contains carved panels. The wooden font stands on two steps and has an octagonal bowl on a quatrefoil shaft; its panels are carved with symbols relating to baptism.

There are two screens, each a memorial to one of the World Wars. The stained glass in the windows is by Shrigley and Hunt. In the north transept is the Harrison Window, which depicts Christ preaching from a ship and the draught of fishes. On the north side is a war memorial window showing a fallen soldier wearing a kilt, with Reims Cathedral in the background. Another window, known as the Parkin Window or the Golfers' Window, includes depictions of golfers with their golf bags and Liverpool landmarks. The ring consists of eight bells. Six of these were cast in 1911 by John Warner & Sons, and the other two date from 1977 and were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The three-manual pipe organ was made in 1911 by John Nicholson of Worcester. It was modified in about 1975 by John Cowin of Liverpool, and again in about 1995 by Keith Ledson, also of Liverpool.

Appraisal

The church was designated as a Grade II listed building on 21 July 2005. Grade II is the lowest of the three grades of listing and is applied to buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest".

Present day

St Nicholas' is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Wallasey, the archdeaconry of Chester, and the diocese of Chester. It is sited near Wallasey Golf Club. Services are held in the church each Sunday.