Frankton - St Nicholas
Another church close to my home town of Rugby that took me some years to acquaint myself with; despite being close to a main road we frequently used the church is virtually invisible unless one specifically aims to visit it. Frankton village is a quiet, secluded place and a well to do one. the church stands at the far end of it close to some well manicured private gardens.
The first sight of the church is impressive despite it's relatively small scale and dominated by the handsome west tower, the topmost stage being late 15th century rustic perpendicular, with a pair of belfry windows on the the most
prominent south face and just one on each of the others. The tower is crowned by pinnacles, oddly corbelled outward slightly, that appear to be 17th century replacements (one replaced more recently is preserved in the south aisle).The stonework is two-toned, a feature of many in this part of the county, with red sandstone used for the dressings of windows, buttresses and the top stage of the tower, and pale grey stone for the rest.
The first sight of the church is impressive despite it's relatively small scale and dominated by the handsome west tower, the topmost stage being late 15th century rustic perpendicular, with a pair of belfry windows on the the most
prominent south face and just one on each of the others. The tower is crowned by pinnacles, oddly corbelled outward slightly, that appear to be 17th century replacements (one replaced more recently is preserved in the south aisle).The stonework is two-toned, a feature of many in this part of the county, with red sandstone used for the dressings of windows, buttresses and the top stage of the tower, and pale grey stone for the rest.
The church was given a very thorough restoration in 1872 by George Gilbert Scott and much of the building was rebuilt at this time, thus beyond the west tower and the south arcade of the nave this is a largely Victorian building, which is more evident on the inside where there are relatively few features of any antiquity. The south arcade and chancel arch appear to be of 13th century date (as is presumably the arch into the tower at the west end, though this is mostly hidden behind the organ). The chancel, north nave wall and south aisle walls were apparently rebuilt during Scott's restoration, though two ancient corbels were reused at the west end of the chancel.
The furnishings are all of the Victorian restoration or later and only the east window has any stained glass, a c1870 piece by William Wailes of Newcastle with six scenes in medallions from Christ's Passion, culminating in the seated figure of Christ in Glory in the tracery above. The wooden chancel is a handsome whilst the font is a plain bowl on a stem, an unusually simple design for the Victorian period.
St Nicholas's is a church that will not delay the visitor for long, but is a pleasant place, obviously well loved and cared for, and happily is kept open and welcoming to visitors.
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012