Church Of St James

The Church of St James is a church dating from the 13th to 16th centuries, with alterations in the 19th century, including a revised roof pitch to the nave and chancel and renewed window tracery. A north aisle was added in 1885. The church is constructed of coursed limestone rubble and coursed squared stone, with old tile roofs. It comprises a chancel, an aisled nave, north and south porches, and a west tower.

The east window of the chancel is 19th century. The south-east chancel window is Decorated style, with two lights and flowing tracery. The south-west chancel window is Perpendicular style, with two lights, a square head, and panel tracery. The low-side window below features a trefoiled arch enclosed within a square head. All windows in the south aisle are Decorated style, with two lights, 19th-century tracery, and original hoods with head stops. The south porch bears a 1564 datestone (renewed in the 20th century) and has a four-centred arch under a square hood, with carved rosettes in the spandrels. The inner doorway, dating to the 14th century, features an arch with continuous mouldings, a hood with head stops, and a 19th-century plank door.

The three-stage west tower, dating to the 13th century, has trefoiled lancet windows in the ground stage and 13th-century two-light bell openings. The west doorway is likely of Saxon origin, with a triangular stone head, and was originally located elsewhere – said to have been from an earlier church north-west of the present village. The north aisle incorporates a reused 14th-century doorway with continuous mouldings, leading to a 14th-century north porch with a moulded arch featuring ball flower decoration.

Inside, the Perpendicular south arcade consists of four bays, with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches. A piscina recess in the south aisle dates to the 14th or 15th century, featuring a trefoiled head. The chancel arch, probably 15th century, has two continuous chamfered orders. Carved stone heads of a king and queen have been reset in the north and south walls of the chancel. A font, probably dating from around 1660, has an octagonal bowl with leaf ornament. Stained glass shields displaying the arms of the Washington family are found in the east window of the south aisle, likely dating to the 16th century, and are not in their original positions. A brass memorial at the east end of the south aisle commemorates Amy Washington, who died in 1564, and her husband, Lawrence, who died in 1584; fragments including a male figure, children's figures, and a shield remain. A wall monument to John and Moses Hodges, who died in 1724, is made of grey and white marble with fluted pilasters. A chest, reportedly dating to the 14th century and located in the south aisle, is constructed of wood with closely spaced studded iron bands. The church is depicted in a drawing from around 1820 by George Washington Smith, now held at Sulgrave Manor.