Church of St James The Less

The Church of St James The Less is an Anglican church dating from the early 18th century, incorporating a 15th or 16th-century turret. It is constructed of coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings, a moulded cornice, a parapet with coping, and a slate roof with coped verges. The church comprises a nave, a chancel, and a west bell turret.

The architectural style is Classical/Palladian, with a particular emphasis on the entrance front, alongside a Perpendicular turret. The two-bay nave features rusticated quoins and semi-circular head windows with emphasised keys and imposts, containing diamond-paned leaded lights. A door opening is topped with a segmental pediment supported by Roman-Doric half-columns, leading to a six-panelled door. The two-bay chancel is of a lower height, also with rusticated quoins and windows similar to the nave, but with square-paned leaded lights. The two-stage embattled turret has corner pinnacles, narrow plain bell-chamber openings, and a semi-circular head east window.

Inside, the church has plastered walls set against tile and flagstone floors, along with coved plaster ceilings and moulded cornices. The windows have emphasised surrounds. Original features include a Jacobean altar table, altar rail, and chair. There’s a panelled 18th-century pulpit with carving, 19th-century pews, lectern, and font. A fine collection of 18th-century wall monuments are present, including those to William Ponting (1708) with a segmental pediment; John Smith (1714) in a marble surround; Richard Ponting (1715) in a bolection moulded surround; Thomas Fisher (1719) with an achievement above; Robert Smith (1769) with a weeping cherub; and Hannah Orange in marble with a segmental pediment. A slab commemorates Sarah Weaver (1718), and there's also an early 19th-century wall monument. Two 17th-century coffin stools are also located within the church. An inscription is set into the south-east corner of the exterior.