St Nicholas' Church is a church in

Stretton, Rutland Stretton is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the county of Rutland, England, just off the A1 road (Great Britain), A1 Great North Road. The population of the civil parish was 770 at the 2001 census, including Thistleton ...

. It is a

Grade II* In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

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

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

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

Victorian restoration The Victorian restoration was the widespread and extensive wikt:refurbish, refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England church (building), churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century Victorian era, re ...

, 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