Church Of St James

Church of St James, Slapton

Parish church, primarily dating from the 13th or early 14th century with significant 15th or early 16th century rebuilding and restoration in 1905. The building is constructed of slate rubble with slate roofs coped with stone at the gable ends.

The church comprises a nave and chancel of four bays, north and south aisles, a two-storey north porch with a stair turret in the north-west angle, and a west tower with spire. Bishop Stapledon dedicated the altar in 1318, establishing the date of the present chancel. The west tower dates from probably the 13th century (the first rector is recorded from 1274–5) or possibly the early 14th century. Following the foundation of the Collegiate Chantry in 1372, the parish church declined in prosperity as its tithes were appropriated to the Chantry, one of whose priests being appointed to serve the parish church. The nave was rebuilt and the north and south aisles and north porch were added during the 15th or early 16th century. West galleries were erected in 1832 according to Davidson's records of 1842. The church underwent substantial restoration in 1905 at a cost of £1,000.

Externally, the north aisle features one three-light and two four-light windows of 19th century restored Perpendicular style with buttresses and a polygonal stair turret between them. Similar three and four-light windows appear in the east and west ends of the north aisle. A gabled two or three-storey porch projects from the west end of the north side of the aisle, with a polygonal stair turret in the west angle, an embattled parapet with mouldings, and a small lancet window. The porch entrance has a massive roll-moulded and hollow chamfered almost round-arched doorway with trefoils in the spandrels and a label moulding. A two-tier window above contains round-headed lights with hood mould and corbel. The inner doorway features a double-ovolo and fillet-moulded two-centred arch of Beerstone with a medieval studded door bearing large wrought-iron hinges and circa 17th century cover moulds. The south aisle has similar 19th century three and four-light Perpendicular windows with buttresses and set-offs, as well as comparable windows in its east and west ends. A small north doorway has a double-cyma two-centred arch. On both north and south sides of the chancel are 14th century two-centred arch windows with two lights and cusped tracery, each with hood mould. A small priest's doorway on the south side has a double-ovolo two-centred arch with hood mould and broach stops. The east window displays three lights with restored circa 15th century tracery and hood mould. A chamfered slate plinth runs around the entire church except the chancel. The unbuttressed west tower has a slight batter and a diminished top stage, surmounted by a stone octagonal spire with rendered broaches, a moulded finial, and weathervane. The top stage contains slit bell-openings with slate louvres and similar slits below on the north and south sides. A large three-light west window displays 19th century Perpendicular tracery, with a small 19th century Perpendicular window below, probably blocking a former doorway. In the angle between the tower and south aisle is a circa late 19th century lean-to outshut. Against the porch chamber stair turret stands what appears to be a short section of a cross shaft with chamfered corners.

Internally, the walls are plastered and floors are paved with slate. Hollow-chamfered Beerstone rear arches support the arcades. Four-bay north and south arcades of Type A are constructed in Beerstone with wide two-centred arches, corner shafts to the piers, and chamfers rising into the arches (hollow chamfer on the north arcade, wide recessed chamfer on the south). Carved foliage capitals ornament the shafts only, with moulded bases. A very tall, narrow two-centred tower arch has chamfered imposts. Late 19th century arch-braced roofs on wooden corbels cover the nave aisles and chancel. The east window has nook-shafts. A small 13th or 14th century piscina on the south side of the chancel features a cusped moulded arch with broach stops. The rood stair doorway has been restored. The porch chamber doorway has a double-ovolo two-centred arch. A small two-centred arch piscina stands on the south side of the east end of the south aisle. A good but restored carved wooden screen spans the nave and aisles, complete with parclose screens in the east bays of the arcades, though the canopy is missing. The rood stair is noted as having unusual construction. A plain stone octagonal font with thick octagonal stem featuring broach stops is surmounted by an 18th century cover in the form of an ogee dome with finial. According to Davidson, the old font was "recently reduced in size". Circa mid to late 19th century benches furnish the nave, south aisle, and choir. Late 19th and 20th century additions include a carved wooden reredos, communion table, altar rail, octagonal pulpit, eagle lectern, font rails, and tower screen. A Charles II Royal arms painted on board with a shaped head hangs over the south doorway. No important monuments are present. The east corridor of the chancel contains 20th century glass, though some armorial glass was restored in 1911. The church contains five bells: four of 1775 and one of 1858.