Church Of St James

The Church of St James was built after the foundation stone was laid on 6th May 1866. It was designed by James Audus the younger, a local philanthropist and amateur architect who funded the project. This church is a notable example of the principles and taste of the Ecclesiological Society and showcases the work of a lesser-known amateur architect. The building features hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressings and has a pitched slate roof with tile cresting. It includes a nave, chancel, lean-to aisles, transepts, porches, and a west tower, all designed in the Early English style, with a richly decorated interior that reflects Ecclesiological ideals.

Exterior features include boarded doors with ornamental wrought iron hinges and Viking-style wrought iron boot scrapers. Inside, the church boasts an exceptional wood and brass lectern, a marble reredos, and a well-crafted organ chest with ornamental wrought iron hinges and stencilled patterns. The woodwork is notable, particularly the mid-19th century clerks' desks and stalls. Additionally, there is distinctive and delicate ironwork surrounding the pulpit, communion rail, and for the curtains on the inside of the porch doors.