Church Of St James

DEFFORD SO 94 SW

648/13/278 Church of St James 11.2.65

II*

Anglican church. C13 nave, C14 tower, C17/18 and early C19 alterations, 1868 chancel, late C19-early C20 belfry. Coursed stone rubble with freestone dressings; ashlar tower with timber-framed belfry. Plain tile roof with gabled ends with stone coping. PLAN: 2-cell church with west tower; C13 nave, tower added or rebuilding of earlier tower in C14; gallery built at west end of nave early C19; chancel rebuilt 1868; belfry rebuilt late C19/early C20. Timber-framed south porch of uncertain date. EXTERIOR: Nave has 2-lightwindows with segmental heads to lights, the north windows restored; south doorway with segmental arch with carved female head re-used as keystone and hoodmould; timber- framed south porch; blocked north doorway now a window. Chancel has lancets to north and south, 3- light east window with Perpendicular style tracery and buttresses with set-offs. Ashlar west tower with diagonal buttresses with set-offs and Decorated west window with cusped reticulated tracery. I NTERIOR: Plastered walls, nave ceiled and with old plaster and exposed wall-plate; moulded cambered tie-beam [or rood] across nave; between the windows in south wall are projecting buttress features with finials. Victorian chancel arch on colonettes with stiff-leaf capitals; moulded corbel high up in west end of nave. Gallery at west end of nave with fielded-panel front. Unmoulded round tower arch. Medieval collar-rafter nave roof with cranked collars and curved braces. Painted Commandment and alms boards in vestry under tower. Victorian furnishings and early C20 stained glass in east window. SOURCE: Buildings of England, p.130.

Listing NGR: SO9172643212