SurreyCOMPTONStNicholas(richardCC-BY-2.0)1 Richard

St Nicholas

Its pre Norman tower alone would make this church special, but what makes it both unique and mysterious is its two storey sanctuary.

Compton, Surrey

Opening times

Open everyday.

Address

The Street
Compton
Surrey
GU3 1EG

This dates from the end of the Norman period and consists of a lower sanctuary with a rib vaulted ceiling, above which is the upper sanctuary. Separating the upper sanctuary from the rest of the church is a wooden rail carved from a single block of wood dating from about 1180. That makes it the oldest wooden decorative timberwork in the country.

There is much else of interest to see in the church, including a font of about 1160, medieval patterned wall paintings, a 17th century pulpit, and monuments ranging in date from the 14th to the 18th century.

In the east window is a stained glass panel of the Virgin and Child from the early 13th century.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Famous connections

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Magnificent memorials

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access to the main areas

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Church of England

  • Partnership Grant, £2,500, 2017

  • Our Partnership Grants funded a range of repair projects, recommended by County Church Trusts, to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

Watts Chapel

Compton, Surrey

Landscape, art and remembrance are beautifully blended together in the Grade I listed Watts Chapel.

Guildford Cathedral

Guildford, Surrey

Open to all, the cathedral is a place to explore and learn, a modern cathedral with a truly remarkable story.