A history of St Nicholas' Church, Islip

There seems to have been a church at Islip in Saxon Times, but the oldest part of the present church only dates to the end of the 12th century. This is the line of arches and columns between the nave and the north aisle. The church was largely rebuilt in the 14th century, and a tower was added in the 15th. In 1824 a fresco dating from about 1360 was discovered in the south aisle; it is now covered over, but a framed reproduction is on display in the church. The font dates from the 15th century. An older font, reputed to be that in which Edward the Confessor was baptised but actually dating from the 14th century, used to stand in the ‘King’s Chapel’, a building to the north of the church which was demolished as unsafe in 1780. The font is now in All Saints, Middleton Stoney.

St Nicholas 1860

The church was badly damaged in the Civil War, when Cromwell’s troops won the battle of Islip bridge (1645). The chancel was burnt down. It was rebuilt in 1680 by the village’s great benefactor, Dr Robert South, rector from 1678-1716. He also re-roofed the north aisle and added an oak communion table, which is now located in the lady chapel. In 1446 it was confirmed that Edward’s gift of Islip to Westminster had been made on the condition that a chaplain say masses daily in St Edward’s chapel for the souls of the king and of his ancestors and successors. It is likely that this had been the case intermittently since 1203. The chapel as described by the Oxford diarist Thomas Hearne in 1718 was situated to the north of the church and was a small building, 21 ft by 45 ft. At the time of the millenium celebration in 2005, the Channel 4 television programme Time Team attempted, without success, to locate the chapel.

Edward the Confessor chapel

Possibly already from 1203 the abbot of Westminster would have had a house in Islip. This first house seems to have been close to the church, but in the 14th century Abbot William de Curtlington built himself a much finer and more splendid residence on the eastern corner of the village. The church was substantially rebuilt in 1861, when church reform was prominent in English political and ecclesiastical circles. The reforms originated with the Oxford movement’s insistence on more historical liturgy and extended into architecture with the Ecclesiological Society (founded in 1839 as the Cambridge Camden Society). Most of the stained glass in the windows dates from the 1861 restoration, the older glass having probably been destroyed by Cromwell’s troops. But the window depicting the risen Christ and St Peter in the south wall of the chancel dates from 1904, and that in the east end of the south aisle, depicting St Nicholas and St Christopher, from 1948. Details of the lost paintings can be found in J.C.B. Lowe’s article published in Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society’s Oxoniensia. LXV. 447.

St Nicholas glass screen

In 2005 the church undertook a campaign to refurbish the fabric and add modern amenities including a lavatory, a kitchen and improved heating and lighting. The final phase of the project was the installation of a glass screen in an archway at the west end of the nave. The screen, designed by the renowned artist Nicholas Mynheer, depicts Saints Nicholas (for whom the church is named) and Edward the Confessor, along with symbolic portrayals in their lives and of the three persons of the trinity. It also shows the village of Islip in the background.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Livewires (3-7 years)
Encounter (7-11 years)
Katalyst (11-15 years)
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Night Shelter
Foodbank

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)