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The church dates back to the early 13th century and is relatively unusual in largely retaining its original layout. It comprises aisled nave, chancel, north and south transepts and west tower.
The base of the tower is the earliest fabric dating from c.1225. Work on it continued for around a century resulting in the tower itself being Early English, and the spire Decorated in style.
There are north and south porches and a 14th century vestry sandwiched between the south porch and the south transept. An unusual feature is that the transepts do not form a crossing but are in effect additions to the aisles. The aisle arcades run up to the chancel arch, and the transepts are wider than the bay width of the arcades. The south transept retains its Early English 4-light window with intersecting tracery, while the equivalent window in the north transept has slightly later Geometric tracery.
The aisle arcades date from c.1300 or a bit later, and have a fine set of capitals carved mainly with leaf decoration, but with some insertions of grotesque figures and animals. The work would appear to derive inspiration from Southwell although the quality, though good, is not to quite the same standard.
The chancel was largely rebuilt in the 19th century (1846 onwards), the work being carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott under the Re, Robert Miles. The windows appear to have been rebuilt to match the originals. On the south wall is a fine three seat sedilia in Early English style, with adjacent piscina.
Other mediaeval fittings include a Norman font bowl, incorporated into 20th century work, and a pair of possibly 15 century single seat benches with lozenge finials. One is in the north transept, the other, heavily restored, in the baptistery.
The screen between nave and chancel retains 15th century work up to waist rail level. The rest of the mediaeval timberwork is thought to have been removed in the 19th century when an open-work wrought iran screen was installed. This was in turn replaced in the 1920s with a mediaeval style timber screen serving as a war memorial to victims of the First World War. Names of the fallen were inscribed on the lower panels. Victims of World War Two were subsequently added, the main memorial being the hanging cross at the east end of the nave.
The pews in the nave date from the late Victorian period. Miles also caused the raising of the nave roof in 1873, introducing the clerestory, the work being carried out by his son Frank Miles.
The stalls in the chancel were installed in 1913 to a design by the architect W D Caröe Link . He was also responsible for the slightly later screen forming the baptistry in the western bay of the south aisle. The elaborate panelled pulpit was installed in 1916 as a gift of Ellen Tomlinson who died the previous year.
The original, late Norman, font was discarded at the time of the Commonwealth, and a new font installed in 1663. This was subsequently donated to East Bridgford in 1868, and a new font installed. To celebrate the 700th anniversary of the church in 1925, the Norman bowl was rescued from the churchyard, and placed on a new pedestal in the newly formed baptistry. The cover was added in 1931. The Victorian font found a home in the newly-consecrated Church of All Saints, Clipstone.

The church is Listed Grade I
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For more information about this church, visit the Southwell & Nottingham Church History Project Link

Created: Wed, 18 Mar 2026, Updated: Wed, 18 Mar 2026