St. Nicholas Church

St. Nicholas’ Church, Kings Norton, Birmingham.

There’s been a church on this site since the Normans first built a small chapel in the 11th century. The existing church has been built, demolished, rebuilt, expanded, improved and restored many times over the last 1,000 years. Only one dignitary of note over that time: Rev. W. V. Audry… creator of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories. He was the curate from 1940 to 1946.to 1946. The bells were installed
in the late 18^th century and there’s an epic poem about the
occasion.

The bells were installed in the late 18^th century and there’s an epic poem about the event. The last verse tells it all...

It was crack and fizz
and smack and whizz
the cakes again did bake.
the powder stunk
and most were drunk
to end the new bell wake.

Incidentally, I got married in this church in 1975. The poem could well have been about that momentous occasion.