Listed Building: CHURCH OF ST JAMES (1088344)

Parish church. C12 and C16, mostly rebuilt 1874-5 by F J Robinson. Ashlar and rubble stone with quoins, chamfered stone plinth and continuous moulded sill band. Red plain tile roofs with crested ridge tiles, lapped stone copings and eastern ridge cross, except leaded chapel roof. Nave with north aisle, western tower and lower chancel with north organ bay and southern chapel. C16 two stage tower has stepped angle buttresses up to bell stage to western corners. West elevation has moulded C19 lancet with carved labelstops to hood, and north and south elevations are blank except for small staircase windows to south. Above there are louvred 2-light bell openings to all sides with four-centred arched lights set in four-centred arched surround. Above again is a coved stringcourse with embattled parapets over. North aisle has C19 3-light window, with geometric tracery and hoodmould with carved stops, to west elevation and two C19 lancets with two 2-light plate tracery windows to east, on north elevation. All these C19 windows have relieving arches over. To east the chancel has a small gabled organ bay with circular plate tracery window to north and a small chamfered pointed doorcase plus twin lancets to east. Beyond to east the wall of the chancel is slightly advanced with a lapped stone roof and has a small circular window with central quatrefoil. Eastern corners of chancel have stepped gableted, clasping buttresses and between is the 3-light geometric tracery east window with carved labelstops and hood. Attached to south side of chancel is the C16 Harpur Chapel constructed of rubble stone with moulded C18 cornice and blocking course, capped by C19 copings. This has a 2-light C17 recessed and chamfered mullion window to east and attached wall memorial and chest tomb beyond to south. Wall memorial and tomb are to Sampson Massey and wife, who died 1764 and 1787 respectively. Wall memorial has a classical stone aedicule with slate plaque and chest tomb below has a panelled end and bolection moulded slab to top. South wall of chapel has a flat headed C16 4-light window with segment headed lights and incised spandrels, and west wall has moulded single light flat headed window. To west the chancel has one chamfered lancet with relieving arch over and beyond to west the nave has two 2-light plate tracery windows, also with relieving arches, and a low chamfered pointed doorcase to west. East corner has stepped buttress with pinnacled top. Interior has three bay C19 arcade with high chamfered pointed arches on short columns with foliage capitals which stand on a deep plain bases. Chancel arch, also C19, in C14 style with pointed arch on octagonal responds with moulded capitals, also with hood. Tower has original C16 tall pointed arch with soffit mould on corbels. Chancel has C19 two bay arcades to either side, each with double, chamfered pointed arches on twin central columns with foliage capitals, that to north into organ bay and that to south into Harpur Chapel. Beyond to east on north side is a C19 cusped niche housing a C15 tomb. East end of north aisle has two pointed C19 arches on central pier with attached half column. Roofs all C19, that to chancel barrel vaulted and those to nave and aisles with arched braces, except for cambered C16 roof of chapel. Plain nave pews, organ, choir stalls with arcaded fronts, plain oak reredos and metal altar rails, all c1874, as is the octagonal marble pulpit with inlaid semi- precious stones. Stone font with circular bowl on octagonal base, probably C14. Several fine monuments including three in Harpur Chapel, one wall memorial to Frances Willoughby, wife of Sir John Harpur, who died 1714, and two chest tombs with effigies to Sir John Harpur, who died 1627, and his wife, and Richard Harpur, who died 1573, and his wife. The wall memorial is of painted alabaster with grand classical aedicule, topped by an achievement, chest tombs are also of painted alabaster, that of c1573 by Royleys. This tomb has a deep plinth with small shields in cusped circles to centre of each side and recumbent figures over, the man clothed in robes. The other tomb is of superior quality and has the kneeling figures of the sons and daughters to the base, each with painted shield over and their names, each a portrait. Above there are two life size recumbent figures, Sir John clad in armour. Above, again on the wall is a strapwork cartouche with gold lettering. In the tomb niche in the chancel is the alabaster tomb of John Rolleston, who died 1482. This has a blind arcaded base with angels to sides and sons and daughter in relief to centre panels. Above,the slab has incised figures of knight and lady with latin inscription to edge, all inlaid with metal. The nave has two early C20 wall memorials and a George IV painted hatchment on north wall of aisle. East window has c1874 stained glass window and tower and north aisle have single light stained glass windows of c1888.