Description

SE50SW HIGH MELTON

7/85 Church of St. James
5.6.68

GV II*

Church. C12, C14 and C15, C19 restoration. Ashlar and rubble limestone, stone
slate roofs. West tower, 2-bay nave and 2-bay chancel with continuous south aisle
overlapping tower, south porch. Tower: Perpendicular. Offset diagonal buttresses
flank 2-light west window with ogee-headed lights and hoodmould; slit windows to
stair turret in north-west buttress. Small ogee-headed lights and string course
beneath 2nd-stage clock. String course beneath later upper stage with transomed,
2-light belfry openings. String course with corner gargoyles beneath embattled
parapet with crocketed pinnacles. Nave: chamfered plinth, quoins; all embattled.
South porch has broach stops to chamfered arch; moulded, ogee arch to south door
within. Square-headed aisle windows of 2 ogee-headed lights, massive buttress to
east. Two 2-light clerestorey windows have ashlar surrounds and ogee heads cut
in single slabs. Blocked C14 north door with ogee head; 3-light mullioned window
on left has C12 scalloped stone in its jamb. C19 east buttress with octagonal
flue above. Chancel: lower. Chapel in aisle has square-headed, 2-light window to
left of round-headed light. C19, 4-light east window in Perpendicular style has
cusped apron panels, 3-light, pointed window to chapel. 3-light windows to north.
Gable copings with crosses to nave and chancel.

Interior: double-chamfered tower arch with ½-octagonal responds. C12 south arcade
with cylindrical pier and scalloped capital with nailhead ornament, matching
responds, plain round arches. C12 chancel arch-with chamfered impost and plain
voussoirs, restored. Single-chamfered, pointed arch into south chapel. C19 roofs.
Font: tapered cylinder with probably C18 oak cover. Rood screen with gallery and
crucifixion, also the gilded, canopied reredos by Sir Ninian Comper (1905-1907).
Excellent cl5 parclose screen to south chapel with Decorated tracery of mouchettes,
carved cresting. Monuments: numerous wall monuments to the"Fountayne family;
beneath tower to Thomas (d.1709) - aedicule on consoles which flank arms, urn finial
flanked by lamps; on north wall of chancel to Thomas (d,1780), another to Anne (d.1746)
wife of Revd John Fountayne; in north chapel to John (erected 1747) - half
sarcophagus beneath open pediment with arms and elephant. Glass: C14 and C15
figures to north of chancel, C14 fragments and cl5 figures in south aisle. C18
heraldic glass in south aisle, associated with Peckitt. South aisle window of c1885
and east window by Kempe (Pevsner, p265).

N. Pevsner, B.O.E., 1967 ed.

York Glaziers Trust Report, 9 March, 1982.

Listing NGR: SE5091701811

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St James' Church, High Melton at Wikipedia
• St James' Church, High Melton official website
• Wikidata Q7593440

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)