The Church of St James

The Church of St James

This is a church of considerable antiquity and architectural interest, combining elements from the 12th to 17th centuries. The 12th century Norman tower and north nave wall form the oldest parts of the structure. The south aisle and chapel date from the 13th century, with lengthening undertaken in the 14th century and a 14th-century chancel added. The church underwent restoration in 1895 by S. Weatherley, who added the vestry.

The exterior is constructed principally of ironstone rubble for the nave and south aisle, with large brick buttress to the north west corner. The north wall has mortar rendering. The vestry employs rough-dressed rubblestone with rendered finish, while the tower is rendered with sandstone buttresses. The porch features brick-dressed knapped flint. Plain tiled roofs cover most of the building, with Horsham slabs over the south aisle and wood shingled broach spire crowning the tower.

The plan comprises a nave and south aisle with a fine central tower, chancel to the east, and porch to the west end. The two-stage tower is plain in character, with tall single bell openings in the upper stage and a round-arched Norman two-light window to the north side. The 14th-century east window of the south chapel is a large circle containing four quatrefoils in two tiers, while the main east window is similar with a prominent ogee arch. A substantial curvilinear 15th-century north window lights a shortened transept, with two lancets to the south side of the south chapel. A 16th-century Perpendicular window lights the south aisle. The south porch is gabled with cusped bargeboards and access via external stairs. The main west door is set in a gabled porch with wood mullions of oval section. The west door surround is roll-moulded with Petworth marble shafts carrying foliage capitals. A fine 17th-century studded and panelled door is also present.

Interior

The interior retains old roofs, mainly of scissor-type truss with crown post in the nave. The three-bay nave arcade features massive octagonal piers under square capitals. The crossing arches date from different periods: the north arch and the arch from the chancel into the south chapel are of early 14th-century date, both with three orders and attached octagonal piers under simple moulded tops. The 13th-century arch between the south aisle and chapel has Petworth marble shafts and crocketed capitals. A gallery spans the west end of the church, finished in wood panelling in classical style with fluted pilasters and dentilled cornice.

The north chancel wall contains a 14th-century quatrefoil window and squint, possibly associated with an anchorite cell. A piscina remains on the wall, and traces of wall painting survive on the soffit of the east window arch. A 13th-century stone font stands in the church, featuring a substantial central stem and four corner shafts under stiff-leaf capitals supporting a bowl with three scallops to each side. Medieval stained glass fragments are preserved, including 14th-century glass in the east window. The chancel fittings have been renewed since 1956 by Louis Osman.

Monuments and Brasses

Two principal wall monuments stand on the east wall. On the north side is a monument to Thomas Duncombe, died 1714, comprising a stone aedicular structure with broken pediment containing a coat of arms and crude Doric pilasters, with grey ground to white inscription tablet and scroll surround. On the south side is a monument dedicated to four Duncombe children who died in 1668, 1677, 1678 and 1690, of aedicular form with steep pediment or gable. The tympanum is of blackstone containing a coat of arms with gilded crossed bones on the pilasters and a skull at the base.

Brasses in the chancel wall commemorate Robert Scarcliff, Rector of Shere, died 1412, and John Lord Audley, died 1491. The Audley brass is a figure in armour with delicate linear design, restored in 1911.