Church Of St James

ST31SE CHILLINGTON CP CHILLINGTON VILLAGE 1/1 Church of St James

4.2.58

GV II*

Anglican Parish Church. C13 origin, modified early C14 and in C15, restored in 1842 and 1909. Ham stone and local lias stone rubble, Ham ashlar dressings; Welsh slate roofs with stone slate base course, coped gables to all but west end of nave, which is plain; simple stone bell turret with 2 bells at west end. Three-cell plan of 2-bay chancel, of C13 and C14, 3-bay nave of later C14. South transept/organ chamber of 1909: north vestry, probably of 1842, and south porch, dated 1731. Chancel has chamfered plinth, eaves course, angled corner buttresses. East window 3-light Y-tracery probably early C19, set in hollowed recess without label. On north a single-light cinquefoil cusped window without label. To south a smaller similar light towards west, and a 2-light trefoil-cusped window to east, both without labels, and between them a narrow, chamfered cambered-arched doorway. South transept has a 2-light reticulated window in south wall, with external ferramenta. In north-east corner a splayed adjunct with boarded door under simple leaded fanlight with matching sidelight, under flat roof. Porch abuts transept, with coped gable with cross finial, and date plaque inscribed 'TS/CHW/1731' in an ovolo-mould panel, simple pointed archway with label and small light in west wall. Inside are bench seats and simple inner doorway. Nave has angled corner buttresses to west gable. No window on south side, the west window a 2-light, late C14/early C15 traceried with square-stop label, and with 2 deep putlog holes in wall alongside. North wall has 2 C18 windows of 3 lights, 4-centre-arched lights with carved spandrils set into square-arched wave-mould recesses without labels. Projecting vestry with similar 2-light window, but with 3-centre-arched heads to lights, with doorway in east side. Inside, chancel has arch-braced collar-truss roof renewed in 1909. Simple fittings mostly C19. Panelled chancel arch of C15 to almost full width of nave; semi-circular arch into splay, and elliptical arch into transept. Arch braced collar truss nave roof. Nave furniture of C19 and C20, the pews of 1909-1935. Traces of painting on chancel arch, and also sockets for the rood screen. The two bells by Thomas Bilbie II, of 1782. (VCH Somerset, Vol IV, 1978).

Listing NGR: ST3897111087