Church of St. James

Cadw's description

Location

In a large churchyard near the junction of main roads in the centre of Wyesham.

History

Built 1873-5, by J P Seddon, architect; tower 1890. The 'British Architect' noted in 1885 that the church was 'studiously plain', the interior was 'extremely pleasing', and that the church had cost only £1700. There has been very little alteration to the building since 1890 apart from the addition of furnishings.

Exterior

Church built of red sandstone with buff Forest of Dean stone dressings; walls battered below string course; Welsh slate roofs. Decorated Gothic style. Aisleless nave, chancel, vestry, north-west tower. East window is 3-light Decorated style with two cinquefoils and a trefoil lights in the head; angle buttresses. The south side of chancel has 2-light and single-light trefoil windows; on north side, one-light trefoil headed window and vestry with hipped roof, doorway, and 2-light window, with chimney to right. The south side of the nave has one 2-light and two 3-light windows; similar treatment to north side, but with addition of narrow saddle-back porch tower, three stages with tall lancets in upper stage; further nave doorway to right of tower. The west end has two 2-light windows with quatrefoil plate tracery, and hexfoil above. Steeply pitched roofs, coped gables with crosses.

Interior

Boarded arched roofs with iron tie-bars; broad chancel arch on foliated corbels. Octagonal pulpit with blind arcading and stiff-leaf spandrels of 1875 and probably by Seddon. Later polychrome reredos. Original pews with prominent carving. Polychrome tile floors. Stained glass, east window Transfiguration by Cox & Co, 1875; chancel (south side), Good Shepherd by Ward & Hughes; nave, (north side) Ss. James & Peter by Comper (1906); west window 1882 by Ward & Hughes. Octagonal font, probably C15 (from Rockfield church).

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a Victorian church of definite character in the Monmouth area and as a boldly composed church with good quality fittings and stained glass.