It was built during the Norman era and is England's third largest parish church, behind Beverley Minster in East Yorkshire (3489 m2) and Christchurch Priory in Dorset (2815 m2).

It is not only used for religious services but is a hub for various other regional and civic events, including concerts by choirs, orchestras and other musical ensembles, art exhibitions and, during festivals and fayres, the church opens permitting stalls and traders inside.

[2] The Transitional clerestoried nave, with columns alternately octagonal and circular, was rebuilt in the reign of King John.

A new St Nicholas Priory Church of England VA Primary School stands nearby in the town centre.

At the Reformation the chapels were demolished and the building's valuable liturgical vessels sold off, the proceeds spent to widen the channel of the harbour.

During the Commonwealth period, the Independents appropriated the chancel, the Presbyterians the north aisle, while Churchmen were allowed the remainder of the building.

On 2 October 2011, the Lord Bishop of Norwich Graham James raised St. Nicholas to the status of a Minster Church, so marked on 9 December 2011 during the town's Civic Carol Service.

On 13 October 2014 a memorial stone was unveiled to commemorate the deaths of thirteen people in the 1981 Bristow Helicopters Westland Wessex crash.