Church Of St James

The Church of St James is an Anglican parish church dating from around 1300. It incorporates a 16th-century west tower and was altered in the mid-19th century. The church is constructed of rubble stone with an ashlar tower, covered by a stone slate roof with coped gables. It comprises a tower, nave, south porch, a north family chapel belonging to the Long and Wellesley families, and a chancel.

The plain west tower has two stages with a plinth, diagonal buttresses to the lower stage, a three-light Perpendicular style window, a dripcourse, small two-light flat-headed bell openings, and a flat parapet. A north-east octagonal stair tower features a turret and weathervane. The nave has carved paired heads under the kneelers of the gables, stepped buttresses, and details from the 13th and 14th centuries. The south side has a plain lancet window with 19th-century decorative leading, followed by a 15th-century porch with a sundial finial, a pointed arch, and three two-light flat-headed cusped side windows. Inside the porch is a pointed door with carved stops and a small piscina to the right. A 19th-century two-light window with an octofoil head is located to the right of the porch. The north side features a similar lancet to the right of the family chapel, and two 14th-century two-light windows with quatrefoil heads of differing sizes to the left. The family chapel is likely from the 18th century, with a coved eaves cornice, but includes a 19th-century tall two-light north window and door to the right, and an east side stack. The chancel has three north lancets, a broad arched low opening now infilled with ashlar and clasping buttresses, a stepped triple lancet east window which is probably 19th century, and two south lancets. A 19th-century remodelled low door is situated to the left, with a single light adjoining. Various 18th-century monuments are affixed to the south wall of the chancel and nave.

The interior of the nave features a 19th-century boarded roof and a complete set of early 19th-century Gothic panelled box pews, accompanied by a two-decker pulpit. A stone octagonal font with a tulip shape of uncertain date is also present. A moulded tower arch is visible, as is similar Gothic panelling within the family chapel, including a secret door. A plain fireplace is also noted. The chancel is lower than the nave, features a broad pointed chamfered arch, a 19th-century roof, rere arches to the lancets, and a double piscina on the south wall. Stained glass of around 1860 is in the chancel side windows, and the east window is from around 1880. A brass is on the floor commemorating Sir Edward de Cerne, who died in 1393, and his widow who died in 1419. A fine cinquefoil-cusped tomb-recess with an effigy of a knight, believed to be Phillip de Cerne from around 1300, is on the north wall. There is an 1856 marble relief of Hon C. Wellesley by Baron de Triqueti, and a fine painted stone Perpendicular tomb chest belonging to Sir T. Long who died in 1508. Stained glass from 1896 by Ward & Hughes is found on the south side of the nave. The family chapel holds a series of fine monuments, notably on the west wall, including those dedicated to James Long (died 1728), Sir Robert Long (died 1767) by J. Wilton, Sir J.T. Long (died 1805) by King of Bath, and Sir J.T. Long (died 1794) by F. Robins. A bust of Adelaide Wellesley, who died in 1843 aged 8, is also present. A monument to the 5th Earl of Mornington (died 1863) featuring standing angels is on the north wall.