Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a Grade II* listed building, featuring a late 15th-century tower and the remainder constructed between 1874 and 1877 by architect William Butterfield. It is built of ashlar red sandstone with a green slate roof. The church consists of a nave and chancel in a single range, with north and south aisles, a south porch, side chapels to the chancel, and a two-stage west tower. The aisles are adorned with rectangular windows containing two or three cusped lights, while the clerestorey features similar two-light windows. The gabled porch has an arched entrance supported by engaged columns.

The side chapel is tall, gabled, and buttressed, showcasing a three-light window with cusped tracery. The chancel also has a similar tall two-light window and a three-light east window. The tower is characterized by diagonal buttresses and a stair turret at the southeast angle, with a three-light west window and a two-light louvred bell opening. Below an embattled parapet, there are gargoyle rainspouts, and the shingled pyramidal cap is an addition by Butterfield.

Inside, the church is decorated with red and white sandstone. The nave features five-bay arcades with double chamfered arches on octagonal piers. The clerestorey windows are positioned above the piers, and all windows have wooden lintels. The interior boasts a wagon roof that springs from stone corbels, and there is a tall narrow triple-chamfered tower arch where plaster mimics the white stone. A wrought iron chancel screen is situated beneath a hanging wooden screen. The chancel displays panels of coloured stonework with a chequerboard pattern in the upper portion.

The side chapels have two-bay arcades leading to the sanctuary, which contains a large alabaster reredos featuring cusped and quatrefoil panels filled with mosaic. Above this, the roof is adorned with painted quatrefoil panels. The west window, installed in 1877, was designed by Gibbs, while much of the remaining stained glass was created by Kempe between 1884 and 1904. Additionally, there are large painted panels of the royal arms dated 1665, attributed to Randle Holme III. The red sandstone used in the construction was sourced from Waverton quarry, and the white sandstone came from Stourton Hill.