Church Of St James

TQ 861 589 BICKNOR

7/45 Church of St. James 26.4.68. II*

Parish church. Norman C12, restored 1859-61 by Bodley. Interior of very smoothly ashlared chalk faced externally with cement render with closely-packed flint chippings and stone dressings. Slate roof. Continuous nave and chancel, south aisle to nave with west tower at end, south porch, north vestry, north aisle. Exterior entirely C19. 2-stage west tower, with base canted to west, and lighter flint chippings to 2nd stage. Pyramidal roof. Bold quatrefoil belfry lights set in circles. Tall west lancet. South porch on plinth. Chamfered 2-centred arched opening with hood-mould springing from impost, apparently -not fitted for door. Narrow original inner door to church with 2-centred arched head, hollow chamfer and broach stops. Door with stylised fleur-de-lys hinges. South aisle has single cusped east window. Chancel has 2-light window with idiosyncratic trefoil above, in south wall. East window with 2 quatrefoiled and one trefoiled light in circles in head above 3 pointed lights. North vestry: east door with square head and jambs and moulding reminiscent of keel moulding. Stone continues above door as flushwork 2-centred arch. Low square-headed 4-light north window. North aisle: north window of 2 round- headed lights with trefoiled inner heads and simple incised decoration linking the two. West window under round head with 2 low painted lights below a heavy sexfoil rose. Nave: Large quatrefoil light in circle in gable with 2 lancets below. Blocked round-headed tufa doorway, possibly inset in C19, with C19 stone surround. Interior: 2-bay north and south arcades, and tower arch, with round-headed arches and large rectangular piers with scalloped imposts. Vestry door with large C19 fleur-de-lys hinges. Low pulpit and low panelled screen between nave and chancel, C19, with panels lightly carved in relief with medieval- inspired tracery. Large pink and grey marble font similar to that at Hucking. Crenellated tie-beam between nave and chancel, with quatrefoil spandrels, bearing cross which reaches to apex of roof with its arms spanning width of building, braced in narrow diamond patterns up and down to shaft of cross, Tapering tomb slab with remains of brass cross inlaid in west end of south aisle. Plain rectangular stone wall monument with recessed panel, in vestry, to Elizabeth Elward d. 1676.

Listing NGR: TQ8647859317