Church Of St James

ALDERHOLT SU 11 SW DAGGONS ROAD

3/4 Church of St James

18.3.55 II

Parish Church, 1849 with chancel of 1922. Heathstone rubble with rubble dressings, ashlar dressings to chancel. Slated and tiled roofs with end stone copings except to west end and porch. These have crow stepped gables. Plan: nave; chancel; north vestry; west porch. 3 light mullioned and transomed west window with triangular head. Nave windows of a single light with chamfered triangular heads and chamfered surrounds separated by buttresses of 2 weathered stages. Chancel and vestry have trefoiled single light windows and offset buttresses. East window of 3 graduated lancets. Pointed west bellcote with wooden shingles. Porch has plain pointed arch. West doorway has chamfered, square head and continuous jambs. Double, 3-leaf, studded plank door.

Interior features: pointed, moulded chancel arch with semi-octagonal responds with moulded caps and bases; C19 panelled entrance lobby/ringing chamber; chancel has 2 bay arch-braced collar roof; nave has 4-bay braced king-post roof with tie beams and a single tier of purlins; C19 octagonal stone font with quatrefoil panels; C19/C20 pews; open gridwork timber pulpit from St Osmund, Parkstone, Poole.

A very simple and unusual church. (R.C.H.M. Dorset, Vol V, pl, no. 1 Newman, J and Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England Dorset, p.74).

Listing NGR: SU1047612606