Church Of St James

The Church of St. James is a parish church dating to 1847, designed by G. G. Place of Nottingham, and constructed in the Early 14th century style. It is built of coursed ironstone rubble with limestone ashlar dressings, and has stone-coped slate roofs. The church consists of a western tower, a nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a chancel, a south porch, and a vestry. The three-stage tower features stepped corner buttresses, a parapet with a panelled frieze, and corner pinnacles. It has pointed, louvred belfry openings with hood moulds and a west doorway with triple filleted angle shafts and a deeply moulded pointed surround. A two-light window with curvilinear tracery sits above the doorway. The north aisle has a two-light west window, a blocked north doorway with a trefoil headed niche above, and three three-light windows. The clerestory on both sides has three quatrefoils within circles. The vestry has a pointed doorway and single two-light and single windows. The east window is of five lights, with a small gable light and two blank shields above. The chancel south wall contains two three-light windows and a priest's door. The south aisle has a three-light east window, three similar south windows, and a two-light west window. All windows are fitted with hood moulds and have human head label stops, along with curvilinear or geometric tracery. A steeply gabled south porch has a pointed outer doorway with octagonal responds and side benches, and an inner doorway with filleted angle shafts and a deeply moulded pointed surround. Inside, the nave arcades are four bays with octagonal piers and double chamfered arches. The tower arch is steeply pointed, consisting of three orders, and the chancel arch is similar with octagonal responds. The chancel north wall has a central vestry doorway, flanked by single recesses; the eastern recess is ornate with a floriated ogee head, pinnacle, and flanking angels. All doorways have painted texts above, and the chancel walls are delicately painted with floral stencil designs, set upon a Minton tiled floor. Interior fittings are from the 19th century, including an ornate encrusted font with an octagonal stem and bowl surmounted by an arcade of enriched ogee arches. The site of the former church, located to the south of the village, was destroyed by Parliamentarians during the Civil War. The current church was built on the site of St. Mary’s Chapel of Ease. The foundation stone was laid by Lady Azelia Manners, who is responsible for the painted wall decorations in the chancel.