Description

.. CASTLE ACRE CHURCH LANE (east side)
TF 8115

11/3 Church of St. James.
15.8.60.
- I

Parish Church. Largely C14 and C15, with some c.1300 details, restored by
Ewan Christian, architect. Rubble flint with squared knapped flint and cut
stone dressings, leaded aisle, green slate nave and chancel roofs. West tower,
5 bay nave, clerestorey, north and south aisles, north porch, 3 bay chancel,
north vestry. Perpendicular 4 stage west tower with 2 angle buttresses to
each face. Perpendicular moulded arch west door. Large 2 stage 4-light west
embattled transom window, traceried upper panels. Sounding chamber has 2
quatrefoil sound-hole openings to each face. Bell stage has 4 2-light
Perpendicular windows. Moulded stone plinth. Angle buttresses with 5 set offs,
sixth stage above become angle clasping buttress with tracery panels. Battle-
mented tracery panel parapet, flat roof. 2 storey Perpendicular north porch
with outer moulded arch. Large arched aumbry or stoup opening. Blocked 3-light
parvise window. 5 bay north aisle has at west one 3-light straight headed
Perpendicular window, 2 windows under 4-centred Perpendicular arches. 3
central windows have rich Curvilinear tracery with 2 quatrefoils set in
lozenges. 2 east windows of Rectilinear tracery, richest at east. 5 buttresses
with 2 set offs. 5 bay south aisle has 4 Perpendicular 3-light windows, one
2-light west Perpendicular window with battlemented transom. One 3-light
Perpendicular east window. 5 bay Perpendicular clerestorey with 3-light
straight headed windows. 3 bay chancel has re-set Early English south
priest's door with collonnettes and moulded arch, blocked arch above. 2
elaborate tracery 3-light Perpendicular windows with battlemented transoms
in upper lights. East window replaced by Ewan Christian with Early English
style plate tracery. 4-light window. Distinctive 2 storey elevation C15 north
vestry with 2 2-light straight headed Perpendicular east windows, 3 north
side rectangular slits. Angle buttress, stone parapet with 4 kneeling beast
pinnacles. Interior: 5 bay north and south arcades involve either C15 re-
building of c.1300 piers or insertion of alternate C15 piers, all with
Perpendicular double hollow chamfered arches. Almost detached shaft c.1300
quatrefoil piers with original moulded bases and capitals alternate with
quatrefoil piers with C15 bases and capitals. Perpendicular tower and chancel
arches. Double frame nave roof has perhaps C17 or C18 arched upper trusses
resting on main truss, C19 boarding. Mid C19 roofs elsewhere. C15 octagonal
stone font of simple design with roll mouldings running up from stem to bowl.
Fine C15 spire canopy with architectural frame of arches, buttresses and
spirelets surviving, panels missing surviving. Tower arch with C18 Commandment
boards re-used in C20 screen. Aisles have sides and upper arched trusses
with crested framing of parclose screens. C15 poppyhead benches in both aisles.
Fine painted C15 goblet pulpit with 4 Doctors of Latin Church. Rood stairs
and rood loft door at south. Fine dado only of rood screen with painted Apostle
panels. Chancel stalls with misericord seats, front panels made up from re-used
screens. Large mutilated large piscina with cut back triangular spandrel
with traces of trefoils, perhaps c.1300.

Listing NGR: TF8159815022

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536641

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets