Church Of St James

Church of St James, Thurning

A church of medieval origin, dating from the 12th to 14th centuries, with significant restoration undertaken in 1880 by the architects Carpenter and Ingelow. The west wall and spirelet were rebuilt at this time. The building is constructed of squared and regular coursed limestone with a lead roof.

The church comprises an aisled nave, chancel, south porch, and west spirelet. The south elevation of the chancel displays two 14th-century windows of two and three lights with curvilinear tracery, and a small low side window with similar tracery to the far left. A central priests' door and a 3-stage clasping buttress at the corner are notable features. The chancel has a shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapet. A 4-light east window with curvilinear tracery and carved label stops is set within this elevation.

The north elevation of the chancel contains a single 19th-century three-light window with tracery. A north aisle-vestry projects over one bay of the chancel, and a circular stair turret with a conical roof is attached to the right bay of the chancel, rising from the north aisle roof.

The south aisle consists of two bays with a one-window range to the right, featuring a 3-light square-head window of restored 19th-century date. The lean-to roof has a plain ashlar parapet. A 14th-century east window of two lights in the form of a double lancet with trefoil tracery, probably restored in the 19th century, is positioned here. The gabled porch to the left of the south aisle has an outer doorway with a 4-centred-arch head, roll moulding, and hollow semi-circular responds. The inner doorway features a 2-centred-arch head with roll moulding and a studded plank door, probably rehung. An octagonal Holy Water stoup stands to the right of the door. Single-light windows are set in the return walls. The porch has a shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets.

The north aisle contains four bays with a three-window range of two and three-light square-head windows, restored in the 19th century. A north doorway to the far right has roll mouldings and a 2-centred-arch head. Three 2-stage buttresses are positioned between the bays. The lean-to roof features a plain ashlar parapet.

A 2-stage west tower and spirelet project from the centre of the west wall, flanked by 2-stage buttresses. A 2-light west window with 4-centred-arch head, transom, and cusping is set within an arch-head recess at the base of the tower, flanked by shallow buttresses. A corbelled bracket sits above the apex of the window. The upper stage of the tower contains a 2-light bell-chamber opening with ogee-head lights on the west face, with one bell hung in each opening. Other faces are pierced by single-light openings with transom and cusping. A quatrefoil frieze and moulded cornice sit above this stage. A broach spirelet with one tier of lucarnes crowns the tower.

Interior

The nave contains a 2-bay arcade. The north arcade, dating to around 1200, features chamfered and roll-moulded semi-circular arches with a circular pier and matching responds. The south arcade, dating to around 1300, displays double-chamfered and hollowed arches with a quatrefoil pier, a semi-circular respond to the east, and an octagonal pier to the west abutting the west wall.

A 12th-century semi-circular chancel arch with semi-circular responds and scalloped capitals separates the nave from the chancel. A moulded tower arch, dating to around 1880 and possibly incorporating medieval masonry, stands nearby. A semi-circular arch above the chancel arch, probably of late 19th-century date, provides access to the organ loft. Two moulded arches between the north chapel and chancel feature carved label stops, with a masonry pier between them. A small doorway to the right provides access to the north chapel.

The roof structures date to the late 19th century. A 19th-century squint stands to the right of the chancel arch. A niche with a trefoil head is positioned to the left of the altar, with a piscina to the right. Remains of sedilia are found alongside. Two squints pierce the north wall of the chancel. A niche on the north wall of the north aisle and a trefoil-head piscina to the right of the south aisle altar are further liturgical features. A turret stair rises from the north chapel.

The church contains a Jacobean pulpit with reset panels, along with a reading desk, lecturn, and bench in the chancel, also incorporating reset Jacobean panels. Various painted screens and an organ gallery above the chancel arch, all decorated with High Anglican symbolism, date to the 19th and early 20th centuries. The chancel screen is by Sir Ninian Comper.

An octagonal font supported on five shafts stands within the church. Stained glass includes late 19th-century windows in the chancel and an early 20th-century east window in the south aisle.

Monuments include a brass wall plaque to Susanna Welles (died 1658) on the west return of the north arcade, and an inscribed plaque to Robert Negus (died 1657) on the south wall of the north chapel. Various 18th-century inscribed floor tablets and 19th-century wall tablets are distributed throughout. At the west end of the nave, the springing of a further arcade abuts the west wall, with a nailhead-decorated respond on the north side.

Historical Context

The church maintained links with the Oxford Movement during the late 19th century.