Thank you for visiting A Church Near You for information about the Church of St. Nicolas, Old Shoreham, in the town of Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, in the Diocese of Chichester. St. Nicolas' Church is a parish church of the Church of England, and is situated in St. Nicolas' Lane off Upper Shoreham Road in north Shoreham.
The church was built and consecrated to the glory of God, and dedicated in honour of the fourth-century Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor who is the Patron Saint of Seafarers and of Children, and also the historical person behind the legendary figure of Santa Claus. It is a thriving place of worship, attended by a cross-section of the community, including many young families and children.
St. Nicolas' is an ancient and beautiful church, which was founded before the Norman Conquest, being recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. There is surviving Saxon work in the nave walls and a later Gothic choir and wooden chancel screen, but the church's glory is the fine mid twelfth-century stone carving at the crossing under the sturdy Norman tower. The ornamentation includes chevron with pellets, cable with beads, billet, stud, lozenge and rose, wheel studs, and limpet. There is also a cat's face, and human faces, and a carved wooden beam at the east end of the Nave, which may be unique. The painted ceiling in the Choir is Victorian. The church is normally open all the year round between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm, or later in the summer, and is accessible by wheelchairs.
The parish of Old Shoreham: St Nicolas is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Chichester’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
St. Nicolas' enjoys good relations with the other churches of Shoreham and district, and especially with St. Julian's and St Giles' in Kingston Buci, with which it forms a joint Benefice within the Diocese of Chichester. Many activities take place jointly between the churches, and there is a shared Weekly News Sheet. St. Nicolas', St. Julian's and St. Giles' are also constituent churches of Shoreham Churches Together.
Reverend James Grant
