Church Of St James

CHURCH OF ST JAMES, BIRLINGHAM

A parish church comprising a 15th-century tower with the remainder rebuilt by the eminent Victorian architect Benjamin Ferrey in 1871-72 for Reverend R.E. Landor.

The church is constructed of limestone walls laid as snecked rock-faced stone, except for the freestone tower. Roofs are of clay tiles and graded stone tiles.

The plan consists of an aisled nave with a south-west tower, south porch, lower chancel, north vestry and organ chamber.

The tower is Perpendicular in style with three stages. It features angle buttresses to the east and diagonal buttresses to the west. Ferrey added a higher polygonal north-west turret beneath a stone spirelet. The tower's middle stage was formerly used as a dovecote, evidenced by small pointed openings in recessed frames on the west and south walls. A 3-light west window lights the tower, while the belfry contains square-headed 2-light windows with cusped lights, renewed mullions and louvres. The parapet is embattled.

The south aisle contains three 3-light windows and two 2-light windows under segmental heads. The north aisle has four similar 3-light windows and a 2-light geometrical window at the west. In the nave's west wall is a pointed doorway and a pair of 2-light geometrical windows beneath a traceried round window. The south porch features a stilted arch on foliage corbels, with the south doorway having a continuous roll moulding. The chancel windows display geometrical tracery: a 3-light east window and two 2-light south windows. The double-gabled north vestry has round and 2-light geometrical north windows.

Internally, the nave has four-bay arcades of polychrome stone arches on octagonal piers. The nave roof exhibits cusped arched braces on corbels with two tiers of windbraces. The west window and doorway are framed by a rere arch with floor-length shafts. The tower arch is double-chamfered. The chancel arch features an inner order on corbels with early Gothic capitals. The chancel roof spans two bays and has arched-brace trusses with a canted ceiling behind, embossed with ribs. The interior is faced in ashlar with alternating courses of pink and cream masonry forming the aisle arches. Floors are of Godwin tiles, more ornate in the sanctuary, with raised wooden floors beneath the pews.

The font is an ornate piece with an octagonal bowl featuring a frieze of small quatrefoils, foliage to the underside, and a moulded stem base. The lectern is a sculpted angel holding an open Bible. Both were created by Theodore Phyffers. Benches and choir stalls feature shouldered ends with moulded edges. The sanctuary contains a Gothic arcaded communion rail and a reredos with figures in niches, dated 1911 and probably by Gerald Cogswell.

Memorial features include a polished Madrepore marble credence beneath a segmental arch in the north chancel wall, commemorating Reverend Robert Landor (died 1869), who restored the church. A brass plate in the south aisle commemorates Robert Harewell (died 1603). The south chancel wall bears a metal relief plaque to Robert Rashleigh Duke (died 1908), by Jones & Willis, incorporating a statue niche with a brass priest. The stained-glass windows are principally by Hardman of Birmingham, dating from 1874-91, with one south-aisle window depicting St George by A.J. Davies of Bromsgrove (1942).

In the churchyard stands a free Perpendicular cross of 1911 by Gerald Cogswell. The churchyard entrance is the former chancel arch, extensively renewed by Ferrey.