Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a parish church. The west tower, of rubblestone and ashlar, dates to the mid-12th century. The main body of the church was originally built in the early 12th century but was rebuilt in the 15th century. The nave is of carstone with ashlar dressings and brick repairs; the chancel is of brick. The church was restored in 1842 and has slate roofs.

The three-stage tower has set-off strings at each storey. The first stage contains lancet windows; the ringing chamber has two-light windows with a semi-circular super arch on annulated shafts. The third stage, rebuilt in brick in the 15th century, has two-light Y-belfry windows. A plain parapet tops the tower. The south porch is of brick with a four-centred doubled chamfered arch and a hood. Low diagonal buttresses support the gable, where a lancet statuary niche is set within kneelers. The side windows are two-light, square-headed and renewed.

Inside, the nave has a pointed tunnel vault with transverse arches. The south door is from the early 12th century, featuring a double order of annulated shafts with scrolled waterleaf capitals below chevron imposts supporting a dog-tooth arch. The nave has two flat buttresses on the north and south sides, and two two-light square-headed windows; the south windows are ogeed, and the north are round-arched. The upper walls of the nave were rebuilt in brick in 1842. The chancel has diagonal buttresses and two two-light south windows and a three-light east window, all dating to 1842 in a Decorated style. A vestry was added to the north chancel in 1856.

A mid-12th century flat semi-circular arch spans the tower interior, resting on square responds and imposts. Beneath the original splayed west window, the arch is deeply roll moulded, with shafts and capitals decorated with a dog-tooth. The south nave contains one blocked splayed lancet and a splayed trefoil lancet to the east. A stilted chancel arch, with flat scalloped capitals (to the south only), divides the nave and chancel. The nave and chancel roofs are 19th century; the chancel roof is a false hammerbeam. A fine mid-17th century hexagonal pulpit and tester includes arcaded panels with floral spandrels, an interlace frieze, a moulded top rail, and floral scrolled brackets supporting the reading desk. The tester features interlace panels on the frieze, paired modillions at the corners, and ball pendants. An early 15th century chancel screen of two bays on either side of a central arched opening features depressed arches on hollow and wave-moulded muntins, a cusped dado panel, a frieze of mouchette wheels, and a diamond top rail.