The original C12th church was destroyed in 1643 by the Parliamentarians after the church was used by the Royalists to bombard the castle. It was rebuilt in 1671-78 of brick and is the only late 17th Century church in the city.
The church became fashionable in the C18th when the north and south aisles were added. However, slum clearance in the area in the 1960s and the building of Maid Marion Way, left the church without any resident parishioners within its parish boundary. It was also in a poor state of repair. This lead to a radical rethink of what to do with the church. Many of the pews needed replacing, so it was decided to strip out all the fittings in the nave and chancel, replace them with chairs and open up the church. New opening lights were fitted in the windows to improve ventilation and a new heating system installed. Brass monuments were removed from the floor and mounted on the walls. The font was replaced by a modern font and a gallery built across the west end. It became an evangelical and charismatic church, affectionately referred to as St Nic’s. It is now a popular church catering for everyone from contemporary services with a small band to more formal worship.
The inside is a complete contrast to the rather boring and traditional exterior. It is a large and open area with a modern light and airy feel. On either side of the chancel arch are AV screens.
The chancel has a low ceiling with a blue and yellow panel complementing the smaller panels above the chancel arch. The altar is very modern but there are still some of the old memorials on the walls. The east window dates from 1913 and has images of St Nicholas.
Across the back of the church is a large mezzanine gallery
Apart from the east window, the glass is all clear except for a stained glass window at the back of the south aisle.
This is a very different church and has successfully managed to convert an old building into a modern and vibrant space. The church is open daily. There is no parking for the church. The nearest post code is NG1 6AE and the grid reference is SK 571396.
There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/churches/england/east_midlands/nottinghamshire/nottingham/nicholas/index.html
