I have driven past this church so many times and have always been impressed by it’s size and splendour. I’m ashamed to say I have never ventured inside…..that is until today! I was welcomed as I walked through the main door and asked if I was there for the choir rehearsal – they clearly haven’t heard me sing!
What a fantastic interior. I loved the wall plaques commemorating the boats' rescues and crew losses and the medieval graffiti. Of course, I had to place a Church Micro here.
The church was founded in the 13th century, but the greater part of the church dates from the 15th century when Blakeney was a seaport of some importance. Of the original structure only the chancel has survived rebuilding, perhaps owing to its link to a nearby Carmelite friary. An unusual architectural feature is a second tower, used as a beacon, at the east end (the church stands just inland from, and about 30 metres (98 ft) above, the small port). It is uniquely the only church in the local area to possess a tower at each end of its building. Other significant features are the vaulted chancel with a stepped seven-light lancet window, and the hammerbeam roof of the nave. St Nicholas is a nationally important building, with a Grade I listing for its exceptional architecture.
Much of the original church furniture was lost in the Reformation, but a late-Victorian restoration recreated something of the original appearance, as well as repairing and refacing the building. The Victorian woodwork was created to match the few older pieces that remained, or to follow a similar style; thus, the new wooden pulpit follows the themes of the medieval font. Of the stained glass smashed in the Reformation only fragments have been recovered, and these have been incorporated in a window in the north aisle of the church. Nine Arts and Crafts windows by James Powell and Sons are featured on the east and south sides of the church, and the north porch has two modern windows of predominantly blue colour. St Nicholas contains some notable memorials, including several plaques for the Blakeney lifeboats and their crews, and much pre-Reformation graffiti, particularly depictions of ships. The location of the latter suggests that they were votive in nature, although the saint concerned is now unknown.
The Cache
At the listed coordinates find the wooden cross close to the sundial and benches. Who is it in memory of?
A = Number of letters in the first name
B = The number of letters in the last word on the first line
Now walk up towards the side door of the church just round the corner from this door is a bench at waypoint 2 ( N52° 57.070 E001° 1.476)
You need to find the female name and surname on the bench Give. these names the following letters:
CDEFGH JKLMNOPQR
Then convert the letters in the names to their numerical position in the alphabet.
The cache can be found a short walk away at:
N2 57.L(F-G)B E001 01.A(C+L+L)(Jx2)
You are looking for a small clip lock camouflaged container. There is room for geocoins and small trackables. Please bring your own pen. The area can be busy so please make sure you aren’t seen retrieving or returning the cache.
Please play the game and sign the log otherwise I may delete your entry.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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