Church - Church Blakeney St. Nicholas

Blakeney - St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors. The church dates from 15th century and has a large Perpendicular tower of 104ft high. There is an odd little tower at the northeast side of the church that was probably used as a lighthouse in the days when Blakeney was a bustling seaport. It would have contained a beacon light to guide mariners.

	There is a good Hammerbeam roof with carved figures on the beam, angels and decorative fretwork. At the East End of the church note the small window high over the Early English chancel window. This lights a vault above the chancel roof.
The aisles have some original 15th Century benches with some nice poppyheads. Set into the pavement in front of a screen is a tiny brass for one John Calthorp 1508 who was one of the benefactors of the church. In his will he stated that ‘his synful body was to buried in the myddys of the chancel’	Outside you will find some interesting gravestones alluding to Blakeney's sea going past like the one to John Easter dated 1861 with the following verse on it. ‘ I with seven others went Our fellow men to save A heavy wave upset our boat We met a watery grave’. Remember to look at the Blakeney Village Sign in the village itself which shows a galleon in full sail and is a reminder that Blakeney provided and manned three ships to fight the Spanish Armada during the sixteenth century.
	Also buried at the church is Sir Henry Birkin the Bentley racing driver of the 1920’s who died in 1933. More details of this man can be found inside the church. Although not a native of Blakeney he was a frequent visitor and it was his wish to buried here.