Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a parish church located in Dunwich, built between 1837 and 1842 by Robert Appleton. It underwent significant alterations in 1881, likely by E.F. Bisshopp, which included the addition of a chancel, casing the nave in flint with new windows, rebuilding the tower, and recasting the interior. The church features a brick core with random flint and stone facing, and stucco dressings. The roof is covered with plain tiles and crest tiles, while the porch has slate roofing.

The narrow square tower has diagonal buttresses on the west face and a crenellated parapet, with narrow lancet openings for the bell chamber and a clock face on the north side. The nave is adorned with three 2-light windows in the Decorated style on both the north and south sides. The chancel includes one broad lancet window on the north and south sides, along with a 3-light semi-circular headed east window featuring wooden reticulated tracery.

Inside, there is a notable 7-bay arch-braced nave roof and a 3-bay chancel roof, both showcasing richly carved corbels at the wall posts. The nave contains a set of 32 benches with carved poppyheads, and other impressive woodwork includes a rood screen, pulpit, altar rails, stalls, holy table, and reredos. An octagonal font in the Norman style is also present.

There are monuments within the church, including one to Michael Barne, who died in 1837, created by William Behnes on the north chancel wall. This monument features a sarcophagus with a profile head in relief and a long inscription. Additionally, there is a monument to Frederick Barne, who died in 1886 and was the last Member of Parliament for Dunwich, located on the south sanctuary wall. In the southwest corner of the nave, there is a mounted fragment of a 16th-century brass inscription from All Saints Church.