Description

TR 14 SW ELMSTEAD -

3/100 Church of St. James
29.12.66

GV I

Parish Church. Late Cll or C12, C13 and C14, restored in 1877. Flint
with stone dressings. Plain tile roofs. West tower, nave with north
and south aisles, south porch, chancel with north and south chapels.
West tower: C13, with late Cll or C12 base: Medieval belfry. Single
stage, but north and south sides reduce in width about half way up
with plain-tile shoulders. Large stone north-west and south-west
quoins to lower half. Diagonal south-west buttress. Shingled timber-
framed belfry jettied to west. Splay-footed octagonal spire. Two
louvred three-light trefoil-headed windows to each face of belfry.
No tower windows to north or east. Broadly-pointed plain-chamfered
lancet towards top of west face, and another to south. Taller plain-
chamfered lancet West window. Plain-chamfered pointed-arched west doorway.
Nave: south elevation: continuous with south wall of tower base. C19
traceried three-light window. South aisle: C14 possibly with late Cll
or early C12 origins. Narrow and gabled, stopping short of west end nave.
Plinthless. Buttress towards east end. C14 or early C15 pointed west window
of two cinquefoil-headed lights, with tracery of vertical bars, and hoodmould.
One straight-headed C15 or C16 south window to east of porch, with two
cinquefoil-headed lights and rectangular hoodmould. South porch: medieval,
restored in C19. Coursed knapped flint. Gabled plain-tile roof.
Window with cambered head, to each side. Crown-post roof; two outer crown
posts plain. Broadly-chamfered rectangular central crown post with broach
stops and head braces. Chamfered tie-beams. Pointed-arched plain-chamfered
inner doorway with broach stops. Unchamfered pointed-arched outer doorway.
South chancel chapel: early C14. Continuous with south aisle, but with
chamfered stone plinth and lower eaves and ridge. East end flush with
chancel. Diagonal south-east buttress. Large straight-headed south window
with three cinquefoil-headed lights and moulded hoodmould. Similar two-
light east window. Chancel: C13, probably with late Cll or C12 origins.
Slightly narrower than nave. No plinth. Two buttresses. C15 or C16
untraceried east window with cambered head, three cinquefoil-headed lights,
and hoodmould. North chancel chapel: early C14. Flush with east end
of chancel. Plinthless. Diagonal north-east buttress. C14 pointed-arched
east window with three cinquefoil-headed lights, tracery of cusped intersecting
glazing bars with trefoils and quatrefoils, and with hoodmould. Pointed-
arched C14 north window with Y tracery and trefoil, without hoodmould.
North aisle: C14. More stone mixed with flint. Continuous with north
chancel chapel, and slightly overlapping tower. Plinthless. One untraceried
C15 or C16 north window, with cambered head, three cinquefoil-headed lights,
and hoodmould. Straight-headed west window with two cinquefoil-headed
lights and hoodmould. Small blocked plain-chamfered pointed-arched north
doorway. Rainwater heads dated 1877. Interior: Structure: two-bay early
C14 south arcade to nave, with doubly plain-chamfered pointed arches and
octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases. Two-bay C14 north
arcade, similar to south arcade, but extending further to west and with
more intricately-moulded capitals. East end of south arcade rests on
late Cll or C12 pier of large ashlar blocks on plain-chamfered plinth,
and with top heavily corbelled to south side. Footings for further structure
to east and south. Small, probably pre-C14, stone quoins to east pier
of north arcade, capped by single block from which arch springs. Doubly
plain-chamfered pointed early C14 chancel arch, springing from moulded
rectangular capitals which break forwards unusually. Plain-chamfered
piers with broach stops. Two-bay early C16 north and south arcades to
chancel, with doubly hollow-chamfered four-centred arches and octagonal
columns with moulded capitals and bases. Early C14 pointed arch between
south chancel chapel and south aisle, with plain-chamfered inner order
and slightly ovolo-moulded outer order. Moulded rectangular capitals
slightly different from chancel-arch capitals, but similarly breaking
forwards under inner order of arch, each on image corbel. Piers slightly
hollow chamfered, with cushion stops to base and undercut trefoil to tops.
Doubly plain-chamfered pointed arch between north chancel chapel and north
aisle, springing from chamfered imposts which break forwards to centre
with rounded corbel under. Low, pointed C14 tower arch, with plain-chamfered
inner order springing from moulded semi-octagonal piers, and hollow-chamfered
outer order descending to ground with cushion and broach stops. Above
arch, exposed voussoirs of taller, broader, blocked, round-headed late
Cll or C12 tower arch. Roof: C19 crown-post roof to nave and north aisle.
Chancel and north chancel chapel roofs boarded in five cants. Plastered
barrel vault to south chancel chapel. Medieval crown-post roof to south,
with three cambered plain-chamfered tie-beams, with moulded octagonal
crown posts, sous-laces and ashlar pieces. Fittings: piscina in rectangular
recess towards east end of south chancel chapel. C13 piscina in moulded
recess with trefoiled head and moulded hoodmould, towards east end of
south wall of chancel. Image corbel to north wall of north chancel chapel.
Late Cll or C12 font, low, deep, octagonal, with two panels of blind
arcading to each side, circular central pier and eight slender perimeter
columns. Small C17 altar table. Hexagonal C17 pulpit with sunk moulded
panels, strapwork, fleur-de-lys frieze, and enriched cornice. Medieval
screen, probably of domestic origin, with close-studded partition under
moulded and brattished beam, across west end of north aisle. Laudian
altar rails with turned balusters. Monuments: Cartouche on south wall
of south chancel chapel, to Sir William Honeywood, d. 1748. Monument
on same wall, to Thomas Honeywood, d. 1622; grey-painted chalk in form
of triptych. Central section has moulded and pulvinated base, scrolled
base-plate and shield, and raised and moulded inscription panel in eared
surround, flanked by Composite columns. Above it, a recessed panel
with inverted scrolls, and triangular pediment with cherubs head and
achievements. Recessed flanking sections, each carved with angel in
husked surround, and with scrolled base plate and corniced pediment
with shields. Tablet on same wall, to Mary Honeywood, d. 1708, lettered
on a shroud with gilded fringe, cherubs' heads, and shield surmounted
by urn. Brass of a lady, part of a brass to Christopher Gay, d. 1507.
Monument on north wall of north chancel chapel, to William Honeywood,
d. 1669. Black marble inscription panel in a frame which breaks forwards
twice. Each back panel eared, the outer with inverted scrolls to base
and festoon to return sides. Festooned rectangular panel flanked by
acanthus consoles and with scrolled acanthus base plate under inscription
panel. Moulded cornice over oak-leaf frieze, breaking forwards three
times. Segmental pediment with achievements over central break. Monument
by Thomas Scheemakers on same wall, to Sir John Honeywood, d. 1781.
White marble. Rectangular inscription panel, flanked by reeded pilasters
which curve out at top to form consoles under flower paterae. Shaped
base plate, also with inscription. Moulded cornice surmounted by -sarcophagus
with bust above it, against grey marble obelisk back plate. (J. Jewman,
Buildings of England Series, North-east and East Kent, 1983 edn.)

Listing NGR: TR1178645546

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529963

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.

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