Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a Grade II* listed building located in Elstead, with origins dating back to the 13th century. The church features a 15th-century porch on the north side and underwent restoration in the 19th century by Garling. Its construction includes mortar-rendered rubblestone with stone dressings, coursed Bargate stone on the porch, and snecked Bargate stone on the south aisle. The roofs are plain tiled, hipped over coved eaves at the west end, with a boarded belfry above topped by a shingled broach spire.

The layout consists of a nave with a north porch, a belfry and spire at the west end, a chancel to the east, and a south aisle with a vestry. The belfry has one louvred opening on each face, while the west end of the nave and south aisle features 19th-century lancet and plate tracery windows. The north side includes a 13th-century lancet window and 15th-century double light windows with foiled heads, the latter under labels. A well-detailed 15th-century, three-light window to the east may have been inserted by the Bishop of Winchester's masons.

The north wall of the chancel has an arched priest's door in a round-arched surround. The north porch is gabled and has ridge crestings, with half-open walls featuring cusped and foiled arched lights. The north door is framed by a round-arched wooden doorcase with cusped bargeboards, and the porch has a plain crown post type roof.

Inside, the nave boasts a four-bay kingpost roof, while the south aisle has a 19th-century roof. The south arcade, also from the 19th century, features round piers with moulded capitals and simple chamfered arches. The belfry tower at the west end has massive braced timbers bonded to the outer walls, forming an independent frame, with giant lambs tongue stops on the main posts' chamfering.

Fittings include a 19th-century stone octagonal font on a panelled stem, with each bowl panel featuring a double-arched lancet design, and 19th-century stained glass windows.