Church Of St. James

The Church of St. James is an Anglican parish church located in Clapton-on-the-Hill. It dates from the late 12th century, with elements from the Transitional 13th century, and underwent restoration in the late 17th century, with further restoration and the addition of a vestry in the 20th century. The church is constructed of limestone rubble and features a stone slate roof, along with a slate-hung bell turret.

The church has a nave with a projecting south porch and a chancel. On the south wall of the chancel, there is a 17th-century two-light double-chamfered stone-mullioned casement with a scroll-moulded stopped hood to the right of the porch, and a lancet window to the left. A small lancet is located at the west end of the chancel. The north wall of the chancel features a rectangular window with a flat-chamfered surround, and a two-light double-chamfered stone-mullioned casement is found to the left of the vestry. The vestry itself has a two-light stone-mullioned casement in its gable end.

The gabled porch has double wooden gates within a pointed-arched entrance, with the inner order tapering at shoulder height. The square bell turret has wooden louvres, a pyramidal roof, and a weathercock. Notably, the gable ends of the nave and chancel have unusually wide coping, and roll-cross saddles with 17th-century finial crosses adorn the structure.

Inside, the church features a three-bay nave with a pointed chancel arch that has flat-chamfered abaci from the 12th century. The nave likely has late 17th-century collar and tie trusses, which are similar to those in the two-bay chancel. The floor is made of stone flags. A Latin inscription from around 1289 is found on the left-hand abacus, written in Lombardic script, which translates to a reward for devout prayers. There are also remains of possibly 17th-century painted black letter texts on either side of the chancel arch, and an aumbry is located to the right of the altar.

The church contains monuments, including four late 18th to 19th-century ledgers for members of the Wise family at the west end of the nave, and three late 17th to early 18th-century ledgers for members of the Woodman family in the chancel aisle.