Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a parish church largely rebuilt in the 1851-53 by David Brandon for H.J. Elwes of Colesbourne Park. The origins of the building date to the 12th century, with a 15th-century tower and chancel, and substantial alterations in the 19th century. The church is constructed of random rubble limestone with ashlar detailing, and has a stone slate roof.

The church consists of a nave with north and south transepts, a west tower, a south porch, and a chancel. The 14th-century south porch retains its moulded arch, buttresses, and parapet gable. A 13th-century south doorway features a hood moulding and decorated labels. A 15th-century 2-light window with simple rectilinear tracery is located to the left of the porch. The north side has a similar 2-light window and the remains of a blocked 12th-century window. The south transept has a 3-light window and a 2-light window with reticulated tracery to the east; the north transept is a 19th-century rebuild replicating the south design. The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century and contains an early 20th-century east window with geometrical tracery. Set into the chancel wall is a glazed tile from the reign of Edward II depicting the crucifixion. There are two small 2-light square-headed windows in the south wall of the chancel.

The two-stage tower includes a 2-light west window, diagonal buttresses to the lower stage, and a square stair turret projecting on the south side. The belfry windows are 2-light, with quartrefoil piercings in the screens. A crenellated parapet runs above, supported by a moulded string course. Animal gargoyles are positioned at each corner, along with small crocketed corner pinnacles.

Inside, the church was restored in the 19th century during the rebuilding. The nave has a 4-bay roof with collar and arched braced trusses, supported on stone corbels with foliate decoration. Decorative struts form a 3-light opening above the collar. The walls are simply painted. A pointed chancel arch sits upon restored 12th-century square piers with scalloped capitals. A 15th-century tower arch and pointed arches lead to the transepts. The south transept contains a wagon roof with brattished wall plates and a trefoil-headed piscina in the south wall. The north transept has a matching wagon roof and a squint passage into the chancel. An elaborate 19th-century memorial to Susan Elwes is on the west wall. The chancel also has a wagon roof, and numerous memorial plaques to the Elwes family are on the north wall. A 15th-century wine-glass pulpit, of octagonal stone construction on a tall, narrow octagonal stem, stands to the south of the chancel arch, entered by stone steps; it has trefoil-headed panels on each face, some pierced. An octagonal stone font sits in the nave, on an octagonal bracketed pedestal with shield decoration; it has a wooden cover. The majority of the stained glass dates from 1854 by Thomas Willement, with a north transept window by Wailes, and the east window dating from 1915. The church stands in the grounds of Colesbourne Park.