Church of St James

Cadw's description

Location

In a small yard, the apsidal east end facing the street.

History

Built in 1874 to designs of W. Turner, extended by the addition of chancel and south porch in 1875, and designated as a parish church in 1886.

Exterior

Rusticated coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings and slate roof, banded in 2 colours, and with terraccotta ridge cresting. Wrought iron brattishing to chancel roof. Simple early Decorated style, with nave, transepts and apsidal chancel. South-west entrance in gabled buttressed porch with chamfered archway beneath hood mould, and wrought iron fininal to coped gable. Similar porch in re-entrant angle of south transept. Paired foiled lancets to nave. Paired foiled lights to east of transepts, and 3-light plate transepts, and 3-light plate traceried window in their gabled south and north walls. Canted apsidal chancel has foiled lancets in each face, angle buttresses, and is surmounted by a bellcote.

Interior

Nave of 3 bays, with king post and strut roof with wrought iron ties sprung from wall posts carried on corbels. Similar pendant truss over crossing. Cylindrical responds to chancel arch, with foliate capitals. Encaustic floor tiles to chancel. Original pews and pulpit, the eagle lectern of 1892.
Free-standing organ in north transept, 1905. Stained glass: figures of evangelists in chancel, undated but probably contemporary or near-contemporary with the building of the church; South transept window, 1877; north transept, by Gibbs and Howard of London, 1882.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good local example of the small-scale church building which characterised urban expansion towards the end of the C19, and retaining many original or early fittings.