St James

Ashlar C15 tower with stepped corner buttresses, bell moulded plinth, battlemented parapet.

C16 brick north aisle, with moulded ashlar coping and dressings.

Alternating panel tracied C15 windows with C16 untransomed windows, and small triangular headed doorway.

Gabled north porch in coursed rubble, ashlar and brick, with reset C13 outer doorway having annular reveals and capitals.

C14 inner doorway with ogee head, set in taller C12 surround.

Retains C14 door with panel traceried woodwork.

Tail late C14 clerestory of 8 three light windows, cusped, reticulated tracery.

Above a C12 looped corbel table obviously reset, with interposed gargoyles and brick parapet.

In the east wall, the clustered shafts of the C12 crossing are visible with scalloped capitals, C19 east window of 5 lights, panel tracery.

Undivided nave and chancel of 6 Norman bays to the east and 3 early C13 bays to the west.

Tall C15 tower arch, double chamfered with octagonal capitals.

Late C12 west crossing arch having roll mouldings and zigzag which is continued on the hood.

C15 nave roof with moulded principals supported on carved corbels, retaining demi figures and original bosses.

C15 aisle screens, having boldly cusped panel traceried bays.

In the south aisle a reset C13 triple shaft base, now a shelf.

In the vestry reset C15 panels to wall.

At the east end of the south aisle are C12 shafts to the vanished transept.

Chest dated 1590, iron bound with 3 locks.

Fine C15 octagonal font on 3 steps with 2 kneeling stones and splayed base, blank trefoil panels to the sides and stem, with quatrefoils over.

Wonderful octagonal Perpendicular font with traceried panels in St.James' nave. Even more spectacular is the 15th century cantilevered cover with delicate tracery. Popular tradition asserts that it was made by an apprentice and when the master saw how beautiful it was, he killed the boy in jealous rage.

© Richard Croft