Description

BIRSTALL

SK 50 NE CHURCH HILL (North Side)

5/38 Church of Saint James the Great

1.6.66

GV II

Parish Church, medieval but extensively restored in c1860, by Gilbert Scott,
and now having a large modern extension to the north, the original north wall
having been removed. The medieval building appears to have a late Saxon or
Norman core, but is largely late C13 or early C14, and with many later features.
Ironstone and granite rubble. West tower, nave with north aisle, chancel. The
tower is a squat structure of 2 stages, coursed ironstone rubble on a plinth
and with granite boulder course, with quoins and a later ashlar embattled parapet.
Single lancet in west wall, and paired lights to bell chamber. Nave has steeply
pitched Swithland slate roof, the south wall is Victorian (rebuilt in 1828
and then restored in c1860), granite rubble with sandstone dessings. South
doorway has slender shafts and hoodmould with foliate corbels. 2 paired foiled
lights with quatrefoils. Eastern coped gable and cross. Chancel is the earliest
part of the fabric: coursed granite rubble in small pieces. It is narrower
than the nave and also has a steeply pitched roof with eastern coped gable
and cross. Its south west window is a shallow round-arched splayed opening.
Right of it, some indication of a blocked in feature and a C15 2-light square
headed window. East window is a simply traceried light with ogee hoodmould
and fleuron. 1 square headed light to North. North aisle largely obliterated
by new church building, but its east and west walls are of c1860.

Inside, the tower arch is a late C13 triple-chamfered archway, without capitals
or any interuption between shaft and arch. Nave of 3 bays with low round piers
and double chamfered arches. Victorian tracery in south windows and Victorian
timbered roof. Chancel arch is a double chamfered archway on corbels and in
the Chancel to the north are 2 openings through to the north chapel of 1869,
and between them a single opening which might be Anglo Saxon or Norman: a single
splayed round arched light and incorporated in the glass, fragments of an early
latticed wood shutter. 2 roughly shaped piscinas to north and south of altar.

Font is C13, a plain circular bowl on a circular shaft. High Victorian stone
and marble pulpit. Much good late C19 stained glass, notably in the west wall
and chancel and south east nave window, which is by Ward and Hughes of London,
dated 1887. In the chancel are 2 monuments one by J. Bacon junior, a sentimental
death bed scene in marble, commemorating Sarah Mansfield, died 1813. the other,
is to John Mansfield who died in 1839.

Listing NGR: SK5963508848

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of Saint James the Great at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26643178

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

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy