St Nicolas, the parish church
The Normans
had a chapel here which in the 13th century was partly rebuilt and
enlarged. It was then one of two chapels belonging to the mother church
in Bromsgrove for the convenience of the inhabitants of Norton, the
north town in the Manor of Bromsgrove.
Considerable
extensions and alterations occurred during the 14th century. The beautiful
stone porch was built in the late 1400s with a sundial to indicate
to the congregation that it was time for Mass. On the inside corners
of the porch are carved stones symbolising the four evangelists.
The tower
and spire are considered to be one of the finest examples the county
possesses of church architecture of the period. Below each of the
four pinnacles there were once gargoyles to channel away rainwater.
Unfortunately, three have been lost through weathering and the fourth
is badly damaged. The four bells in the tower date from from 1552.
Over the centuries additions have been made and recasting and re-hanging
carried out so that the tower now contains what is said to be one
of the finest peals of ten bells in the Midlands.
None
of the medieval stained glass survived and in the 19th century it
was replaced by colourful figures of Christianity, in the south aisle
by the Hardmans, and five in the north aisle by Swainebourne, both
local firms.
There
are several interesting tombs, the oldest that of Humphrey Toye who
died in 1514, and another of Humfrie Littleton of Grovely and his
wife, who died in 1588. Humfrie did not die until 1624, and thus had
the monument erected in the intervening years, although he is actually
buried near Pershore.
