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The parish church of St. Nicholas in Islip consists of a chancel, a nave of three bays, north and south aisles with separate pitched roofs, a western tower, and a south porch. Much of the church was rebuilt in the 14th century, but traces of the 12th-century church can be seen in the massive piers and arches which separate the north aisle from the nave, and at the west end of the south aisle, where a single roundheaded window survives. The responds of the chancel arch appear to date from the 13th century, but the arch itself was rebuilt in the 14th century. The arcade on the south side of the nave was also rebuilt early in the 14th century, and most of the surviving medieval windows date from the same period. The lofty tower of three stories, with a parapet and crocketed pinnacles, is largely 15th-century work. The chancel was damaged during the fighting at Islip in 1645 and the rector, Dr. Robert South, built a large new one in 1680 at his own expense. It was built in a 17th-century Gothic style by Richard Varney, a local mason. All the windows, including the large east one, had round heads and simple tracery; the roof was low-pitched and the ceiling open except for the eastern bay over the altar, where there was a richly painted plaster ceiling. The fittings installed by South included the oak communion table, now in the Lady Chapel, the credence table, now by the high altar, and, in the nave, a lectern and pulpit which were swept away at the 19thcentury restoration. South also erected a gallery in front of the tower opening.

In 1770 Gough described the church as 'a plain building of ragstone with a chancel, nave and two gabell'd aisles and a square west tower'. n 1803 the artist David Cox painted the church; his picture shows no tower, but it is difficult to account for this omission except as artistic licence. 

The church was ruthlessly restored in 1861 by E. G. Bruton (builder G. Wyatt of Oxford), and it is Bruton's work which now dominates the whole interior, Bruton removed the gallery, threw open the tower arch, and gave the church a new roof, a new porch, and new fittings. South's chancel was reroofed, its style transformed into geometrical, and its 17th-century fittings swept away. The wallpaintings were plastered over. Bruton's restoration cost about £2,000, of which more than half was paid by John Parsons, the banker, of Oxford. Few will echo the verdict of the Revd. F. Chenevix Trench, then rector, that it had been' a very successful undertaking'. The church was restored recently (1954) at a cost of over £3,000 to save it from death-watch beetle and dry rot.

In 1824 two medieval wall-paintings were uncovered in the south aisle of the nave. One depicted the adoration of the Magi, the other the Resurrection and the weighing of souls in a balance. They were plastered over at the restoration, but sketches of them made by Dean Buckland's daughter hang in the vestry.

The octagonal font, on a tall octagonal base, has a quatrefoil panel on each face. 

In the course of the 18th century low oak benches were provided in the chancel for the boys of Dr. South's School. One of these benches is preserved in the vestry.

Part of an ancient rood screen was in the church as late as 1846. 

The stained glass in the east window (designed by Warrington) and that of the west window were both installed in 1861. The glass in the south chancel window was designed in 1904 by James Powell Ltd. of Whitefriars. The oak reredos was executed in 1906 by James Rogers of Oxford; it replaced a creed and ten commandments. The present organ was installed in 1879 at a cost of about £180.

The church contains two identical death masks, one in the north wall of the nave, and one in the vestry. The identity of these masks has never been proved, but it is possible that they are masks of Richard Busby, the famous headmaster of Westminister School, for whom Robert South, rector 1678–1716, acted as executor. Death masks of Busby are known to have been made but have never been found. 

The chancel contains a number of memorials, mainly of 17th-century date. There are brass plates to John Aglionby, rector 1600–9/10, and his son John (d. 1610), with the Aglionby arms, and to James Harracks, rector 1610–25/6. There are tables with coats of arms commemorating Edward Dewe, gent, (a strong Puritan, possibly lessee of the manor during the Commonwealth and Protectorate, d. 1656/7), and Luke Clapham Esq. of Grays Inn (d. 1676) and Susanna his wife (d. 1669). On the north wall of the chancel is a tablet of alabaster and brass with quartered arms of Norris to Henry Norris Esq. (d. 1637/8) with one son (d. 1634), to Susanna his wife, and to her first husband, Robert Banks, gent. (d. 1605), with eighteen children, all kneeling. The east window and the communion rail are memorials to William Buckland, rector 1846–56. There is a brass to Thomas Welbank, rector (d. 1903), and a memorial to A. E. Stone, rector 1902–10. There was another brass in the south aisle which has disappeared. 

In 1552 the church plate consisted of one silver chalice, two candlesticks and a censer of latten, and a holy-water stoup of brass. In 1955 there were a silver chalice, possibly dating from about 1635 and known as 'Dr. South's chalice', a large silver paten with the hall-mark of 1713, given by Dr. South, and some 19th-century plate given by John Parsons. 

The five 17th-century bells formerly in the tower were cast into a set of six in 1859 at the expense of John Parsons. The sanctus bell was cast by Humphrey Keene in 1652. In 1552 there were four bells and a sanctus bell. 

The registers date from 1590.

A building known as the Confessor's chapel stood on the north side of the church until the 18th century. Until the beginning of the present century a plot of ground in this part of the churchyard and beyond was known as Chapel yard. A sketch of the building was made by the antiquary Hearne in 1718; from this it appears unlikely that the chapel was built before the 12th century. Hearne describes it as being fifteen paces in length and seven in breadth, with three small windows and a door in the north side. Richard de Ware, Abbot of Westminster 1258–83, appointed a chaplain to celebrate masses here for the soul of Edward the Confessor. In the 15th century the Abbot of Westminster was held to be bound ratione tenure to maintain a chaplain at Islip for this purpose. Monks of Westminster studying at Gloucester College, Oxford, observed the feast of St. Edward in the chapel at Islip. The chapel was desecrated during the Commonwealth; when Hearne saw it the old windows and doors were blocked up and it was used as a barn. It was demolished in about 1780; some of the materials are said to have been used in additions to the 'Red Lion'. 

The chapel contained a font traditionally associated with Ethelred's palace and said to be the Confessor's baptismal font; it was desecrated during the Commonwealth and used at the 'Plume of Feathers' for mixing turkey food. After passing through various hands it was given to Middleton Stoney church by Lady Jersey

Historical information about The Church of St. Nicholas is provided by 'Parishes: Islip', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6, ed. Mary D Lobel (London, 1959), pp. 205-219. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol6/pp205-219 [accessed 1 February 2023].

The Church of St. Nicholas is a Grade I listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS, Islip - 1046574 | Historic England.

For more information about The Church of St. Nicholas see Parishes: Islip | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk).