Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a Commissioners' church built in the Early English style between 1830 and 1831 by Peter Atkinson (Jnr.). A new chancel and Lady Chapel were added in 1905. The church is constructed of dressed stone with ashlar dressings and features buttresses, topped with a slate roof. It has a west tower with a broach spire, a 7-bay buttressed nave, a 2-bay chancel, and a 3-bay later chancel. The steeply pitched south porch has a similar baptistry to the north. The nave and chancel have plain lancet windows, while the later chancel features paired arched windows. The east window is a 5-light untraceried stained glass window. The tower is square with two tiers, clasping and angle buttresses, and a heavily moulded doorway on the south side. It has a west lancet window and a clock on three elevations. The bell chamber has a triple group of arched, louvred openings on each side, and the hexagonal stone broach spire is ribbed and adorned with gargoyles.

Inside, the nave is aisleless and plain. There is a heavily moulded arch leading to the original chancel, supported by clustered colonnettes, with very steeply pointed flanking arches. The new chancel features a well-carved organ case on the left with four carved angels. To the right is the Lady Chapel, which contains stained glass from 1907 and 1912, along with a well-carved parclose screen. The colorful reredos has well-carved panelling on each side and features carved canopied figures of St Paul and St Aidan. At the rear of the nave is a First World War memorial made of carved oak panels.