Church of St James

The Church of St James is a Grade II listed parish church built in 1870 by T.H. Healy. It is a large, simple structure made of sandstone "brick" with ashlar dressings. The church features a tall nave with shallow cusped lancets in the clearstory and low aisles that have triple groups of lancets. There are rose windows on both the west and east sides. A tall southeast tower, which serves as a prominent landmark on the Thornton hillside, has plain quoin buttresses at the bell stage, string courses, false machicolation, and a broached stone spire. Inside, the church has a spacious layout with a south aisle arcade. The font, dating from 1679, comes from the old chapel and has a small octagonal bowl. The east window is adorned with late stained glass by Morris and Co.