Church of St James with Its South Boundary Wall is a Grade II* listed building in the Somerset local planning authority area, England. First listed on 19 March 1951. A Medieval Church.

Church of St James with Its South Boundary Wall

WRENN ID
grim-flagstone-twilight
Grade
II*
Local Planning Authority
Somerset
Constituency
Yeovil MP: Adam Dance (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
19 March 1951
Type
Church
Period
Medieval
Address
Church of St James with Its South Boundary Wall, Preston Road, Yeovil
OS grid reference
ST 534 162
Coordinates
50.94366, -2.66359
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Church of St James, built in 1420 as a chapelry, has undergone significant rebuilding in the 19th century, with the architect remaining unknown. Constructed from ham stone and some locally cut and squared stone, it features plain clay tiled roofs with alternating double courses of fish scale tiles, and stone slates at the eaves. The church has a cruciform plan with a west tower and a 1950s vestry located in the northeast corner. The tower may retain some original elements, characterized by diagonal buttresses with offsets and string courses that define each level. It includes a small cinquefoil window for the hellringers chamber, a 19th-century clock face above, and 15th-century style traceried windows in the bell chamber. The tower is topped with battlemented copings and has gargoyle spouts at each corner. Most of the remaining structure from the 19th century is in an early 15th-century style, although the north transept may be older, as its north window uniquely lacks a hood mould. The interior is predominantly from the 19th century and is considered unremarkable, with some pre-19th-century memorials located in the north transept and tower space. A case on the north nave wall displays the head of the medieval churchyard cross. The south boundary wall of the churchyard is made of stone, approximately 1.5 meters high and about 42 meters long, featuring roll moulded coping. The glazed porch and west extension added in 1979 are not considered significant.

Local climate

Church of St James with Its South Boundary Wall receives an average of 820 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 51% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 65% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 30 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 66% of listed buildings. Of these, 12 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Church Cross in Churchyard of St James' Church Grade II* 16 m
  2. 269, Preston Road Grade II 62 m
  3. Higher Preston Farm House Grade II 116 m
  4. Knapp House with Its North and East Boundary Walls and Entrance Gate with Piers Grade II 161 m
  5. Abbey Barn Grade I 167 m
  6. Abbey Farm House Grade I 184 m
  7. 221, Preston Road Grade II 205 m
  8. Preston Plucknett War Memorial Grade II 238 m
  9. The Cottage Grade II 466 m
  10. Watercombe Farm House Grade II 479 m