Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a parish church dating back to the 14th century, with aisles and porches added in the 15th century. It has undergone two major restorations in the 19th century, the second by Sir George Gilbert Scott between 1873 and 1874. The church is constructed of coursed rubble stone, with lead and tile roofs.

The west tower has three stages and features a battlemented parapet and an octagonal turret to the southwest. The turret has two-light traceried openings, and gargoyles carved as heads. On the west side, there is a moulded two-centred arch and a two-light traceried window above. The aisles have two-light Decorated windows on the west side, and three-light Perpendicular windows on the north and south sides. The south aisle's east side has a four-light Perpendicular window. A moulded two-centred arch frames the south doorway, supported by triple shafts with moulded caps and bases, and it is accompanied by a porch with a battlemented parapet. The north door has a double hollow-chamfered arch, and a porch with a plain parapet. The chancel, chapel, and vestry share a moulded eaves cornice. The chancel has restored Decorated windows with ogee and flowing tracery, including one long two-light window and two three-light windows to the south, and a four-light opening to the east. A moulded two-centred arch forms the south door. The north chapel features two two-light traceried windows.

Inside, a triple chamfered arch leads to the tower. The nave has four bays, with moulded arches resting on octagonal piers with moulded caps. It retains a 15th-century roof with braced tie beams and traceried spandrels. The north aisle has a stop-chamfered ironstone arch to the chapel, a moulded impost band with dentils, and a cusped ogee niche containing the lower half of a carved wooden figure. The south aisle showcases a cusped piscina and a shallow ogee niche of clunch, adorned with crude crockets, finials, and shields. A wide double chamfered arch defines the chancel arch, along with similar restored or 19th-century arches from the chancel to the north chapel, a moulded doorway to the vestry, and a 19th-century niche in the north wall with a small archway above. The south wall of the chancel includes a cusped ogee piscina and a restored triple sedilia with crockets and finials. The east wall has a re-set stone carved head corbel.

Notable fittings include a 14th-century octagonal font with traceried panels, a 15th-century screen with open traceried panels, and a restored loft supported by fans. Fragments of old glass are found in the east window of the south aisle. Other fittings are 19th-century, including a glazed ceramic reredos depicting the crucifixion and saints. Monuments include a small brass to Henry Upmore, a priest who died in 1487; a marble tablet to Richard Barker (died 1636) and his wife (died 1653), featuring a broken pediment, skull and grotesque mask heads; and another tablet to Hugo Barker (died 1713) with cherubs, swags, a cornice, urns, and coats of arms.