Church Of St James

BISHOP AUCKLAND

NZ22NW CHURCH STREET, Coundon 634-1/5/127 (South side) 20/09/72 Church of St James

II

Parish church. 1871-3. By Ewan Christian. MATERIALS: snecked stone with ashlar dressings, Welsh slate roof with stone gable copings and red terracotta cresting and wrought-iron west cross finial. PLAN: chancel with north organ chamber; nave with porch and choir vestry in north aisle. EXTERIOR: Early English style. Round chancel apse has 4 high lancets and pent roof. Nave has 3 south lancets. 3 lancets and oculus enclosed in relieving arch in each of 3 gabled bays of north aisle, with wrought-iron grille over eastern window. Porch to west has double boarded doors with elaborate hinges in chamfered arch with dripstring under lower gable. West elavation has high gable with 3 lancets on sill string flanked by prominent buttresses. Steeply pitched roof has ridge belfry near east end, with square-plan open arches on diagonally seamed metal base, and tall spirelet with swept eaves. INTERIOR: porch has scissor truss roof, and double boarded doors to church with elaborate hinges. Nave arcade has short round ashlar piers with moulded octagonal capitals, supporting chamfered pointed arches. Wide organ arches north and west of chancel aisle. Windows have chamfered rear arches. Keeled ribbed boarded roof, ribbed dome to chancel painted blue with stars. Aisle roof scissor trusses. Aisle has Gothic panelled wood screen forming vestry. Chancel has Gothic-style tiled floor. FITTINGS include brass Communion rail on wrought-brass panel balustrade. Painted stone pulpit with dogtooth ornament and pedestal font with large bowl. Pews have curved inverted Y ends and pegged seats. Glass in east lancets depicts Crucifixion, in west roundel heraldic device of 3 shells. Other windows high quality clear glass renewed c1986. (Buildings of England: Pevsner: County Durham: Harmondsworth: 1983-: 133).

Listing NGR: NZ2361629780