Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a parish church dating from 1884, designed by W.S. Hicks. The design incorporates elements from a preceding 12th-century church. The building is constructed of snecked tooled stone with ashlar dressings, and has a roof covered in synthetic stone tiles. The church follows a cruciform plan with a south porch, a central tower, an organ chamber in the north transept, and a north vestry. It is built in a free 14th-century Gothic style.

The exterior features a chamfered plinth, a moulded sill string, and a chamfered eaves cornice. The west end has a four-light window above which is a traceried square window, flanked by stepped diagonal buttresses. The south porch has a moulded arch with a hoodmould and carved cornice, featuring foliage bosses at the angles, and is topped with an embattled parapet. It has two-light mullioned windows on each side. Inside the church are stone benches, a coffered ceiling with carved bosses, and a re-set pre-1884 south doorway. The door itself has patterned hinges and a central strap, set within a chamfered basket-arched opening contained within a larger 12th-century doorway featuring a roll-moulded segmental arch on shafts with cushion caps and a billet hood. To the east of the porch are three two-light windows; a matching window is found on the north side, beyond two reset 12th-century round-headed windows. The south transept displays stepped set-back buttresses, a boarded door within a moulded arch on the west, a three-light window and gable slit on the south, and a two-light window on the east. The central tower is buttressed and includes a ringing chamber with a two-light window on the south and slits. A moulded string is positioned above, rising into a gable over the clock face on the south. The tower has two-light slatted belfry openings and a cornice with a square-flower pattern supporting an embattled parapet. A taller, octagonal south-east stair turret, with a boarded door in a moulded arch and slit windows, is also present. The chancel has two two-light windows on the south, and the east end has a three-light window above carved, cusped panels depicting the badge of St James and sacred monograms, with a cruciform loop in the gable. A pent roof links the vestry and organ chamber, which feature two- and three-light mullioned windows. The gables are finished with moulded copings and finial crosses, with ornamental rainwater heads dated 1884.

Inside, the crossing has multi-chamfered arches with moulded imposts and bases; the north arch to the organ chamber is a reset 12th-century chancel arch of two square orders with a chamfered hood and imposts. The nave has panelled dado with a brattished top rail, contemporary pew boxes, and a carved screen with leaded glazing in the west bay. A boarded wagon roof includes bosses and a carved wall-plate. The south transept mirrors the nave with a similar dado and roof, accented with gilded bosses. The crossing features a panelled wood lierne vault with carved bosses. The church also contains a pulpit, choir stalls, and an organ front, all of high quality contemporary design. The chancel has carved panelling and altar rails, alongside an elaborate wagon roof with carved wall-plate and bosses. The sanctuary is finished with marble tiling. A south transept window, depicting the Baptism of Christ, is by Kempe. Late 17th-century armorial ledger stones belonging to the L'Isle and Strother families are located in the chancel, while 19th-century wall tablets commemorating the Widdrington family are in the transept.