About Us

This Grade II* listed former church was bought by the Church of England in Suffolk in 2000. The stunning glass Sanctuary was added to link the Diocesan Office to the former church creating a centre for both business and entertaining. ​
Ancient & Modern
by Roy Tricker - 1982​
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This church stands on the site of the Saxon church of St Michael and it is possible that parts of it are built of materials taken from the demolished church. The churchyard to the south is tree shaded and picturesque and its northern side has nicely opened up when Franciscan Way was made. St Nicholas church is now very much dwarfed by the tall modern buildings which have arisen around it.

The main body of the church is built of a mixture of stone, flint and septia rubble, which is unusual in the Ipswich churches. It consists of nave with aisles, chancel, with north vestry, south porch and a western tower of flint.

Exterior
The nave and aisle date from the early 14th century, the north aisle having been extended eastwards to match the south in 1848. The windows of the aisles are built in the early decorated style, with simple ''y'' tracery, except the easternmost windows on either side, which are perpendicular. The chancel windows are also the perpendicular style. The east windows were blocked until the late 1820's.

The north aisle has a good decorated doorway (now blocked) with corbel heads. The brick south porch was erected in the 18th century. The large sundial above the doorway is noteworthy. The attractive set of two-light dormer windows on each side of the church, near the division between nave and chancel, were probably made to give additional light to the road. Similar dormer windows could be seen in St. Matthew's and St. Mary Stoke, but they were removed during the 19th century. The western tower was rebuilt in 1886 by E.F.Bishopp. It is a fine flint structure, rising to a height of about 57ft. the rebuilding faithfully restored it to its former medieval glory.

Photographs taken previous to the restoration show a plain parapet, without pinnacles and probably of brick. The present parapet is a mass of flushwork, the niches containing statues on each face, with stepped battlements and crocketed pinnacles. The tower has buttresses with flushwork, reaching to the level of the tops of the belfry windows, and a staircase turret in the south-east corner, leading to the ringing chamber. There are double sets of two-light belfry windows in each face and single windows lighting the ringing chamber. The west window is large and has three lights. Beneath it is the fine west doorway, which is medieval and worth noting. It has shields and fleurons in the arch, winged shields in the spandrels and crowned lions for corbels. Above the doorway are three shields, bearing coats of arms.
The main entrance to the church is by means of the porch, which has a 14th century doorway.
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Interior
There are many points of interest inside this church. The interior was restored in 1848 and there have been several tasteful additions since then. The 14th century arcade, of five bays, has quatrefoil piers and beautifully moulded captial, which authorities reckon to be premier examples of their type. The sills of the aisle windows have been lowered to form seats and around the walls of the north aisle, the west end of the nave and part of the south aisle, is 17th or 18th century paneling, which came from the box pews which once filled the church.

The octagonal font is 15th century and came from St. Lawrence church, having been purchased for this church in 1862. There is trefoil-headed paneling round the bowl, and the symbols of the four evangelists. The handsome pulpit (now removed) is Jacobean and had a sounding board. At the eastern end of the north aisle wall is a tall niche, and this is flanked by pieces of lead which were salvaged from the old lead roof and bear the names of churchwardens. Notice the imprint of the hand in the eastern most one. At the eastern end of the north aisle can also be seen a good 15th century trefoil-headed piscina. Another piscina can be seen in the south aisle.
​The chancel contains in its wall some of the oldest fragments of carved stonework in the town. They date almost certainly from Saxon times, although some authorities would date them a little later until 1848, these stones were incorporated into the exterior wall of the south aisle. The western most is a carving of St Michael fighting the dragon. It bears an inscription in Anglo Saxon which, translated reads" here SI. Michael fights against the Dragon". This stone probably came from the church of SI. Michael which stood on this site. The centre stone is semi-circular and it has been suggested that this probably formed the tympanum over the doorway of the last chapel of All Saints, which stood near Handford Bridge. The carving on it is a boar, and its Latin inscription shows that it was almost certainly the dedication stone of the chapel. The eastern group of stones bear traces of colour. They are fragments of people in Eucharist vestment, and probably represented apostles.
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In the sanctuary is a piscina, and some more paneling can be seen under the south window.
The communion rails which have twisted balusters, date from the 18th century and were once three sided.
The painting on the west wall of the north aisle depicts the meal at Emmaus, and was executed by J. Smart, a local artist in 1807, and hung above the alter. In 1848, the old Royal Arms were taken down and a set of Prince of Wales feathers were found nailed to the back.

The floor of the centre aisle contains several stones with the matrices of brasses. Those brasses which remain have been removed to the walls of the south aisle. Here they can be studied with the help of well written notes beside them. On the south wall, the western most commemorates William Style and his wife Isabella, who died in 1475 and 1490 respectfully. The centre brasses are of an unknown civilian and his wife (c.1600), to the east of which is an inscription and coat of arms to the memory of Susan, wife of Augustine Parker. There is another brass near the division of the nave and chancel (south side) dating from about 1500.
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The tower contains a peel of five bells, No.2 is by Miles Graye, 1630. The rest by H. Pleaseant of Sudbury 1706. The tenor weighs 10 cwt. Diameter 39 inches. The five rank unit organ by Rutt was installed in 1935. It was placed in the north aisle at first floor level and has no facade. There are two manuals and 26 speaking stops.

Amongst the church plate is an Elizabethan chalice and a patan, flagan and alms-dish made in the 18th century.

It is thought that Cardinal Wolsey lived in this parish as a boy. His father and mother were buried here and his father bequeathed money to the church in his will.