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St Nicolas Church Cranleigh: A Short Statement
The year 1170 has been taken as the time when the Church was first built. There could well have been a small chapel on the site before this, but this was the year in which Norman estate owners were required by royal decree to provide places of worship for their tenants, and it is likely that Cranleigh was included in this wave of construction.
 
Cranleigh (then spelt Cranlegh or Cranley) was at that time just a random collection of farmhouses and farm buildings, with a population of little more than 200, mainly arranged on the north and south sides of areas of common land. The site of the Church was on the north side of this common land towards the east end of the village, but it is now set back because of the later encroachment of the common. It nevertheless provides a focus for this end of the village centre, and its tower is a significant feature, rising above the rooflines of surrounding buildings.
 
The earliest part of the existing structure is the two-bay arcade on either side of the Nave, with circular stone columns and semi-circular responds giving it a Norman appearance. When built, there would have been narrow aisles on either side of the arcade, not much more than 2.2m wide, separated from the Nave by circular stone columns and arches. In about 1200 side chapels were extended from either side of what was then the Chancel.
 
In the early 13th century these aisles were further enlarged to their present width, and new capitals and pointed arches were raised above the columns to accommodate the sloping aisle roofs; external buttresses were added to the aisles to take the thrust of the roofs. Later in the 14th century a new Chancel was built, with a pierced timber screen separating it from the nave. A screen and rood loft, with figures, in this position survived until the early part of the 19th century, before being sold off, but grooves in the piers to the Chancel arch indicate where it stood. There were also screens defining the side chapels. At some stage the centre aisle of the nave was sloped up to meet the former Chancel level, the difference in height being about 17 mm above the west end of the Nave. 
 
The tower at the west end of the Church is believed to date from the 14th century, although its massive construction, with stepped buttresses to the south-west and north-west corners, stone belfry staircase, and pyramidal roof, has led some writers to incline more towards an earlier date. The tower roof is in the shape of a pyramid called a ‘Sussex Head’, unusually with gablets at the peak. Open put-log holes remain in the walls of the tower. These were used to house the ends of scaffolding timbers when the walls were being erected, and have never been filled up. They may have been exposed when plaster was removed from the stonework during the 19th century. There are also some similar holes in the stonework of the north aisle. The orientation of the Church is 5° north of east, and the architectural style is mainly ‘Decorated,’ a term which covers the period from the late 13th to the second half of the 14th century. 
 
The interior was considerably renovated in the middle of the 19th century, and the present pews date from that time. In 1864-67 the chapels on either side of the nave were extended to form transepts, which were finished externally in ashlar stonework. In 1944 the Church was badly damaged by blast from flying bomb that fell nearby, and the main lights of most of the stained glass windows were lost. 
 
Most, if not all of the stone window frames have been rebuilt since they were first installed, but retaining their original form. In recent years the rebuilding of several corner stones of the walls and buttresses has also proved necessary.
 
Brian Bagot, Emeritus Church Historian

Historic stone church adorned with festive greenery and red flowers, featuring a quaint porch entrance.

St Nicolas Cranleigh

A short summary of the history of St Nicolas Church, written by Brian Bagot, Emeritus Church Historian

A brief history of St Nicolas

Every Thursday in Lent join us for a delicious lunch in our Church rooms.12.30-1.30pm, for soup, bread roll and homemade cake.<figure><img src="https://edge.churchdesk.com/non/ckeditormedium/public/o/4719/lent.lunches.png" data-image="2484621"></figure>

Warm bowl of creamy vegetable soup with carrots, broccoli, and potatoes, served in a red ceramic mug.

Join us every Thursday in Lent for lunch!

Time for Lunch!

LENT – JUST WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON? - Conflict between nations, modern day slavery, drug trafficking, from totalitarianism to democracy.
So just where does Jesus' plan for us fit in?
 
You are invited to come together to share a 5 week York Course during Lent entitled 'The Gift of Christ'&nbsp; to explore what this gift really means for us in these troubling times, aided with video input and discussion.&nbsp;
Beginning Wednesday 25th&nbsp;February 8.00pm and Thursday 26th&nbsp;February 11.00am (following Time for Prayer finishing at 10.30am) these sessions will last for one hour, in church. Each session will be preceded by a half hour of light refreshments.
 
Sign-up sheets can be found on the cross aisle shelf or email nicola@stnicolascranleigh.org.uk<figure><img src="https://edge.churchdesk.com/non/ckeditormedium/public/o/4719/lent.course.png" data-image="2484620"></figure>

Lenten York Course poster inviting discussions on "The Gift of Christ" with weekly sessions and fellowship.

A 5 week Lent course with discussion, video input and fellowship

The Gift of Christ - Lent Course

Sermon Sunday 11 January – Baptism of Christ – Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-end
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
In one way, Christmas is a little bit like an earthquake. It’s this massive shock. God has become man. Now everything is different. But we can’t quite grasp what happened. There is far too much going on. It takes us ages to work out how everything has changed – in fact, most of us need our whole lives to begin to come to terms with the fact that God came to this earth – and what that means for our own lives. 
It's why we have this season of Epiphany. Throughout this season we are beginning to see more and more what Christmas means, as God on earth, Jesus grows up. 
And one of the things we begin to see is that Christmas was not just Good News in that stable, not just Good news for Israel, not just Good News for us, but it’s Good News for everyone. 
It makes our first reading from the Book of Acts very exciting. We suddenly find ourselves in room where the apostle Peter is preaching. Feel free to have a look at Acts 10, our reading starts from verse 44. 
<ul><li>Christmas for everyone
 </li><li>Jesus’ Ministry beginning from his baptism
 </li><li>The Holy Spirit also for us </li></ul>
‘Then Peter began to speak to them’ 
Wait a second. Let’s step back for a moment. Who is Peter talking to? Who is the ‘them’ in the first verse of our reading? 
Let’s go back a bit.&nbsp; 
At the beginning of the Book of Acts, the feast of Pentecost, we see the Holy Spirit being poured out to the apostles and many coming to faith. But the focus of the mission was very much among Jews. Earlier we already saw Gentiles joining in, indeed last week we had the Three Kings arrive at the crib even when Jesus was a baby. There are a lot of other examples, but always incidental, always a couple coming along, never on a bigger scale.
 
But the Holy Spirit is moving. And we are here at the point that things are about to be blown wide open. 
There is a long chapter beginning to introduce what’s happening here. The Spirit is working. Peter receives an extraordinary vision. And he’s then invited by a man called Cornelius, a centurion, who also received an extraordinary vision. It’s all told in great detail. Luke deliberately slows the whole story down, as a sort of written drumroll, raising the tension and the pressure, before everything is about to change. 
‘them’ in the first verse of our reading is Cornelius – and his whole gathering: all non-Jews, Gentiles. It’s Peter’s last sermon in the Book of Acts, but for the very first time Peter is addressing a completely non-Jewish audience. 
And Peter begins this sermon with recognising this massive moment that changes everything. Everyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God. 
Sounds sensible to us? Probably. In that time, it was a mind-blowing innovation to have a religion for people regardless of their nation, culture or background. All religions were based on city and nation, and on what your ancestors did. &nbsp;
 
And one of the things that led to persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire was that they were considered bad citizens. Christianity was anti-Roman and threatened the structure of society and family. Because Christians didn’t join the cult to the emperor, and to the various gods of the city. They believed in a universal God who had power over all. They believed that this God had come to act in the world through Jesus Christ – who made all people who believed in Him – not just the emperor and senate, not just the rich and wealthy, not just Romans, not just men, but all people – children of God – part of a new family.
 
Christmas is Good News not just in that stable, it is Good News for the whole world – and here we see worked out how that changes everything. 
And let’s spend a few moments with the content of Peter’s sermon. What is this Good News for the whole world? 
It is of course Jesus. Peter summarises the life and ministry of Jesus, and there’s one thing I want to pick out. Because Peter draws attention especially to the fact that Jesus ministry started from his baptism and being anointed with the Holy Spirit. 
It’s the feast we celebrate today, the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, described in our Gospel reading. Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry, and at his baptism we see God the Father speaking from Heaven, affirming Jesus to be His Son, and, the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove and empowering Jesus for his ministry, for bringing the Kingdom of God here on earth. 
And Peter goes on to tell how Jesus with the power of the Holy Spirit changed the world, doing good and healing everyone, freeing them from the oppression of the devil. 
And that this Spirit-empowered God-man was crucified and rose again and appeared to many. 
The big picture that Peter sketches is that of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, being in this cosmic battle with evil and the powers of evil and healing people, and offering them forgiveness of sins. 
And this all starts from the Baptism of Christ, when Jesus emerges on the public scene. 
Our reading from Acts has unfortunately been cut short. Because it’s fascinating what happens even while Peter is still preaching. His sermon is interrupted. 
The next verse reads: ‘While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the Word’ (Acts 10:44). Everyone receives the gift of the Holy Spirit – all praising God and even speaking in tongues. They are baptised, and become part of the Church, that becomes a new community of Jesus Christ that transcends every other boundary and identity we might have. 
And so are we in our baptism. 
In our own baptism, like in Jesus’, we have Father, Son and Holy Spirit present. We are baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In our baptism, the Father speaking from heaven to us – calling us his beloved children, the Son with whom we become one in the waters of baptism – and whose identity we receive, becoming children of God, the Holy Spirit who comes upon us and gives us God’s power. The power of Jesus, so that we may live as children of God. 
Do we today maybe just need to be reminded of the power of our own baptism? God called us his child, we have become one with Jesus, and we receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit in your own life, in the life of our church, and to change this village. 
Did you notice that Peter says that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power at his baptism? 
We have that. In confirmation, people stand up publicly and commit themselves to that Christian faith of their baptism, and we then also have the Bishop comes, who lays his or her hands on them, anointing them with oil and prays for the gift of the Holy Spirit on them. Like the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus, so the Bishop prays for the Holy Spirit to come down on the candidate for confirmation. 
I have been having a few enquiries about confirmation recently, and we’re hoping to be able to plan one maybe even in the next couple of months. If you have never been confirmed, and you’d like to find out more, make a public commitment to the Christian faith, and receive the Holy Spirit into your life and fill you or to fill you more, please do feel free to talk to me after the service or drop me a line. 
There’s big moments like that, and there’s our opportunity today, to open ourselves afresh to God, to receive Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, especially as we listen to his word, pray together and when we receive bread and wine, Christ’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion. 
And then, after that, to be God’s people. To go out in the world empowered by the Holy Spirit, and allow it to change everything you do and say, this week, this month, this year. 
To be praying with our words and with our lives: Holy Spirit, come. 
Amen.&nbsp;

A brief history of St Nicolas

Time for Lunch!

The Gift of Christ - Lent Course

Sermon - 11th January 2026