Church Of St James

TL 25 N CROXTON CROXTON PARK

6/107 CHURCH OF ST JAMES 31. 8.62

GV II*

Parish Church. Chancel, nave and aisles late C13, partly rebuilt late C14 and C15. Tower c.1500. North doorway C14 possibly rebuilt 1622. Nave and aisle roofs 1659. Chancel restored 1806 (shortened in medieval times). South aisle rebuilt 1904, and north porch in 1907, tower and spire restored 1919. Walls of field stones partly plastered, tower of limestone ashlar, dressings of clunch and freestone. Roofs of lead and slates. North elevation. Tower of three stages with embattled parapet and first stage string-course enriched with paterae. Corner pinnacles and gargoyles, angle buttresses. Belfry window of two-cinquefoil-lights. North aisle, clasping buttresses, two C15 three-cinquefoil-light windows with vertical tracery in four-centred heads. Modern porch rebuilt with early carved stones. Aisle parapet with C17 finials. Chancel, blocked north doorway with ogee head inscribed 'EL 1622', late C13 two-light window restored. Interior: North doorway, two continuous ovolo-moulded orders with doorway and stairs to chamber originally over north porch. C17 door with embattled moulding and applied semi-circular gadrooned background to carving of Virgin and Child. Nave arcades, C13 of three bays with octagonal piers each with moulded caps and bases and two-centred arches of two-chamfered orders, above arcades are roundels carved with octofoils and crosses. Tower arch of three-chamfered orders on semi octagonal shafts with moulded bases and caps enriched with tudor roses. Chancel arch of two chamfered orders. Nave and aisle roofs reconstructed in 1659 with 'TST' inscribed on tie beam. Four large, carved angels with Leeds arms in corner of nave roof. Two C15 parclose screens, with ogee heads to open tracery at east end of north and south aisles. Chancel screen dated 1923. C15 pews with panels of carved tracery. Font, C13 octagonal bowl. Late medieval stained glass. C17 Cromwellian table, hexagonal C18 pulpit. For monuments see RCHM.

Pevsner: Buildings of England, p326 RCHM West Cambs. p63, mon.1 VCH, Vol. V, p44

Listing NGR: TL2523459226