Church Of St James

MANCHESTER

SJ8490 STENNER LANE, Didsbury 698-1/25/648 (South side) 25/02/52 Church of St James

GV II*

Parish church. Rebuilt in early C17, further rebuilt and enlarged at various dates in mid to later C19: tower of 1620, nave 1855, chancel 1871, east half of south aisle 1895. Red sandstone, slate roofs. West tower, nave and aisles in one (nave now incorporating former chancel), chancel, parallel south "transept" and vestry. The 2-stage tower, with diagonal buttresses, has a moulded plinth, C19 Perpendicular west doorway with 4-light window above, a drip-band, small 2-centred arched belfry windows of 2 arched lights with stone louvres, moulded cornice, and parapet of large open-work hoops with crocketed corner pinnacles; and on its north side a moulded 2-centred arched doorway, and just below the drip-band some panels with crudely-formed raised lettering: SR EM:K : FOVN EM: ESQ: SR GBK A.MWID : DERS PATRON : BARONET The north aisle, which is divided into 2 portions by a buttress terminating in a crocketed pinnacle, has 2 large C19 segmental-pointed windows and a rounded arched window in the western portion, all with hoodmoulds which have figured stops, 2 large square-headed transomed windows in the eastern portion, and a continuous parapet. The south aisle has an unusual south vestry near the west end, square in plan, with a side-wall chimney, and an embattled parapet with corner pinnacles both heavily decorated with carved heads and masks; to the right of this, two 3-light windows, then the parallel south "transept" and vestry, 2+2 bays, with buttresses, transomed windows to the former (like those on the north side), Perpendicular windows to the latter, and continuous parapet with tall crocketed pinnacles. The chancel has a large transomed 10-light east window and 2 windows on the north side, all in Perpendicular style. Interior: unusual a-stylar 4-bay arcades of tall cylindrical columns with moulded annular caps carrying plain semicircular arches; former chancel arch with Puritan angels at the springing, and beyond this 2-bay arcades of 2-centred arches; chancel arch moulded in 2 orders, with shafts; late C19 pulpit of white marble and alabaster under earlier wooden sounding board; good early C17 wall monument in transept, commemorating Roland Mosley (d.1616), son of Nicholas Mosley, in Renaissance style, composed of a 3-bay Ionic colonnade surmounted by a central Corinthian architrave with cresting, with kneeling figures in each part; and various wall tablets .

Listing NGR: SJ8469190378