Church Of St James

DENCHWORTH SU39SE 1/1 Church of St. James 24/11/66

GV II*

Church. Late C12, remodelled in mid/late C13, with early C14 south transept, and late C15/early C16 north transept; refenestrated and parapet added in late C15/early C16. Coursed and uncoursed limestone rubble; stone slate chancel and porch roofs, and sheet metal roof. Cruciform plan with north-west tower. East gable with C15 offset angle buttresses has early C14 three-light window; south wall of chancel has offset buttress, C15 four-centred cavetto-moulded doorway to C19 plank door and two C15 two-light square-headed windows; north wall of chancel has C16 vestry and chapel, extending into nave, with offset buttresses and early C16 two-light square-headed windows. North wall of nave has C15 one-light square-headed window. South transept has late C15/early Cib two-light square-headed windows and adjoins mid C19 gabled porch with pointed chamfered doorway. Stoup adjoins late C12 round-headed doorway with chamfered jambs, moulded imposts and billetted arch; offset buttress and C15 two-light square-headed window to left. Mid/late C13 three-light west window, flanked by offset buttresses. Gabled roofs; nave and chancel have C15 moulded parapets. North-west tower has offset angle buttresses, one-light slit window below string course and C15 two-light square-headed windows with stone slate louvres, and cavetto moulding to parapet. Interior: Chancel has mid/late C19 decorative tile floor and piscina; wall brasses to William Hyde, d. 1557, his wife and many children, and Oliver Hyde, d.1516, and his wife; C17 two-bay moulded tie-beam roof; C15 chancel arch. Early C14 arch with sunk-quadrant mouldings to south transept, which has 5 fine decorative wall tablets to the Geering family, 1690 to C18, one to Martha Frogley, d.1792, and floor tablet to Joan Geering, d.1717; 2-bay roof much restored in C19. Mid/late C13 arch on responds to north chapel, which has C17 lean-to roof much restored in C19, late C19 screen with linenfold panelling,and squint to chancel. Nave has Perpendicular style pulpit by A.B. Allin, 1889, and late C19 octagonal font; C17 three-bay roof restored in C19; stoup adjoins door. (Buildings of England: Berkshire, pp.126-7; VCH: Berkshire, Vol.IV, p.227. Kelly's Directory, 1898. p.58.)

Listing NGR: SU3810891714