Church Of St James

Church of St James

Parish church built in 1838 by public subscription and designed by Stevens of Derby. The building is constructed in ashlar with a moulded plinth and shallow pitched leaded roofs hidden behind flush parapets with ridgeback copings over a coved eaves cornice.

The church comprises a wide four-bay nave with a western tower and a lower, short chancel. The three-stage western tower has moulded stringcourses between stages and stepped gableted angle buttresses to the western corners up to the second stage. The west elevation of the tower features a moulded pointed doorcase with returned hoodmould and panelled doors, with a similar but smaller doorcase on the north side and a thin lancet on the south side. Above on the west is a moulded pointed two-light window with cusped Y-tracery, returned hoodmould, and lozenge-paned metal lights. Above this is a clockface under an ogee-headed returned hoodmould with foliage finial to top. The north elevation has a similar arrangement, while the south side has a thin lancet. The bell stage above features two-light louvred pointed bell openings with panel tracery and returned hoodmould on each side, with foliage bosses at each corner of the stringcourse at the base of the bell stage. The eaves stringcourse has corner gargoyles and embattled parapets with ridgeback copings and corner pilaster strips.

The north elevation of the nave has stepped gableted angle buttresses at either end and four two-light tall pointed windows with panel tracery, returned hoodmoulds, and lozenge-patterned metal lights, except the eastern window which contains stained glass. Stepped gableted buttresses stand between the windows. The east wall of the nave has a low porch attached with a pointed moulded doorcase to the north, similar to the tower doorcase, and an angled corner buttress. The east elevation of the chancel has stepped gableted angle buttresses on either side of a three-light pointed window with panel tracery and returned hoodmould. Above in the gable is a simple ridge cross. A small vestry to the south side of the chancel has a cusped Y-tracery window below a four-centred arched head with returned hoodmould. The south nave elevation is similar to the north, except all windows have lozenge-patterned metal lights.

The interior features a wide continuous moulded chancel arch and a panelled gallery at the rear of the church supported on clustered iron columns. The boarded timber king post roof is dated 1901 by brass plaque in the gallery. The tower contains a plain stone staircase serving the vestry and gallery. Original box pews in the nave have pointed bench ends with blind Y-tracery panels. A high standing octagonal wooden pulpit, also original, features an iron balustrade with wreathed handrail to the staircase at the side and an ogee-headed octagonal tester above. To the north side of the chancel arch is a lower similar-style pulpit without tester for the readers. Below the main pulpit is the original octagonal stone font with diaper work to the bowl and an elaborate timber canopied font cover, dated 1903.

The chancel contains commandment and creed plaques on either side of the altar with cusped tops, and cusped metal altar rails. Pointed panelled doors on either side lead into side rooms. Memorials include three slate and white marble plaques on the south wall of the chancel, each to a member of the Eaton family with carved foliage surround, all from the late 19th century. The north side of the chancel has two metal plaques: one in enamelled brass to John Eaton, who died in 1897, and the other, a brass war memorial. The south side of the nave has another war memorial in timber with carved Decorated-style aedicule. The east end of the north side of the nave contains several wall memorials, including two with white marble Gothick aedicules, both to the Sutton family of Shardlow Hall and from the late 19th century. There are also two early 20th-century memorials: one with moulded alabaster surround and mosaiced border to Susan Weddall, who died in 1907, and the other of circa 1915 to Hubert Sutton with a simple limestone plaque. Two slate and white marble wall memorials and one brass memorial are also present. The brass memorial commemorates Zachary Smith, who died in 1918, while the other two are to E Cullen and James Clifford, who died in 1864 and 1866 respectively. The latter was a successful merchant who lived in Broughton House.

The east window of the north side of the nave and the east chancel window both contain early 19th-century stained glass: the nave window is patterned, while the chancel window is figurative.