St Nicholas' Church is a church in

Stretton, Rutland Stretton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland, England, just off the A1 Great North Road. The population of the civil parish was 770 at the 2001 census, including Thistleton and increasing to 1,260 at the 2011 census. The ecc ...

. It is a

Grade II* In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

listed building.

History

The small church consists of nave with north aisle, chancel, north and south transepts and a south porch. There is no tower but a double

bell-cote A bellcote, bell-cote or bell-cot is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells. Bellcotes are most common in church architecture but are also seen on institutions such as schools. The bellcote may be carried on brackets projecting from ...

. It was built 1086-1185 when it was owned by the

Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

. Most of the church was built in the 13th century. A major

Victorian restoration The Victorian restoration was the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. It was not the same proce ...

, by James Fowler of Louth, took place in 1881. The two bells date from 1663 and 1710. Most of the stained glass in the windows is by

Clayton and Bell Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient British workshops of stained-glass windows during the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton (1827–1913) and Alfred Bell (1832� ...

. Edward Bradley (rector of Stretton, 1871–83), who wrote as Cuthbert Bede, and who funded its restoration, is buried in the churchyard.

References

Sources

Stretton Stretton {{Rutland-struct-stub