Building record 364/2/1 - Church of St. James

Early 13th Century south doorway and arcade, with Decorated and Perpendicular style features thoroughout the rest of the church. Some furniture within the church dates from 18th Century. It is constructed of stone, with load roofs.

{1} Church. Early C13. Decorated and Perpendicular. Coursed limestone and ironstone rubble, ashlar tower, lead roof. Chancel, north vestry, nave and south aisle, south porch, west tower. 3-light Perpendicular windows in chancel. Late Perpendicular north vestry has square headed window with 2 cusped lights. Projection to west between nave and chancel contains C17 manorial pew, and has one-light window with moulded stone frame and square hood to north and doorway with pointed stone arch in west side. Two 2-light Decorated windows with flowing tracery in north wall of nave. C14 north doorway has arch with continuous mouldings, studded plank door and holy water stoup in arched recess to right. Two 2-light C14 windows with Y tracery in south aisle east of doorway and similar west window. C18 east window, 3 lights with straight keystoned head and stone mullions. C14 south porch has entrance with continuous mouldings and studded ribbed plank door. C13 inner doorway has double chamfered arch and jamb shafts with bell capitals. Perpendicular west tower, 4 stages with castellated parapet. West doorway has arch with continuous mouldings and hood with crocketed finials. Studded ribbed plank door. Holy water stoup in arched recess to right. 3-light west window with bar tracery. 2-light bell openings with transom and bar tracery. Interior: Piscina in chancel in arched cusped recess. C17 doorway to vestry has elaborately moulded 4-centred arch and original studded ribbed plank door. Manorial pew divided from chancel and nave by wooden Doric column and fitted with C17/C19 panelling and wall seats. Early C13 south arcade, 3 bays, has double chamfered arches and round piers. Capital of east pier is carved with heads, one supported by a hand. C18 polygonal panelled pulpit. C18 font (disused), alabaster in the form of an urn. Present font C19. Stained glass shields in south aisle windows C16 and C17. Important collection of monuments to the Chauncy family, including 4 by Rysbrack. Earliest to Toby, died 1579 and 2 wives. Alabaster chest tomb with effigies. William died 1585 and wife. Alabaster chest tomb with effigies and figures of 9 children in relief on north side. Other monuments are architectural wall tablets. Toby died 1662. South aisle. Slate plaque in gilded alabaster frame with scrolls and pendants of fruit surmounted by coat of arms. Those by Rysbrack are to William Chauncy died 1644 (east end south aisle) pedimented white marble wall tablet. Richard died 1734, (west of south door). White marble tablet with broken pediment. Children of Toby Chauncy. White marble tablet with broken scroll pediment. Richard Chauncy died 1760 (north wall of nave). Wall tablet with scroll pediment. Swags of flowers and portrait bust in Roman style. Monument to Toby Chauncey died 1724 attributable to the Smiths of Warwick. Grey and white marble wall tablet with fluted Ionic columns and broken segmental pediment with coat of arms. Monument to Julia Cartwright,died 1853. North wall nave. Stone Gothic triptych with two praying figures. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.208-9).

{8} Undated photo.

{10} [Former list description] A Church of St. James
Stone, load roofs, nave and chancel with parapet. West tower of 4 stages, diagonal buttresses, battlemonted parapet. Ogee west door with crockets and flanking crocketted pinnacle pilasters. The
three upper stages of tower Perpendicular. To right-hand of door is a Holy water stoup. The tower arch is the whole height of the west wall of the nave and has an early C19 screen with cast iron 'Gothic' railing across top. The nave and chancel are in one without a chancel arch and have a Perpendicular roof altered and plastered.
The nave and south aisle are divided by a Transitional arcade of 3 bays, some of the caps with rough carving. The aisle has three Early English windows of 2 lights, two on the south wall and one on the west end. The east window is a large rectangular late Perpendicular of 4 lights. The south doorway is Early English with slender shafts and plain caps supporting the arch. The south porch is probably Decorated.
The north door leads from the nave to the forecourt of Edgcote House. The chancel has a single piscina on north and south walls flanking the altar. On the north wall a Perpendicular doorway leads to a vestry of the same date. The original door with its ironwork remains. The vestry originally had an upper floor now
removed and on the west wall a door leads to a stone spiral staircase with upper door in wall above. The roof remains with shields on the beams. Adjoing the vestry is a C18 family pew with flat lintel supported on a slender central wood Doric column. It has oak panelled front, dada and seats. On the S. sido of the chancel are late C18 choir seats, the pulpit and desk are of the same date, and the box pews in the
nave are also late C18. The windows on the south wall of the south aisle have C16 and earlier heraldic glass.
Monuments
In the nave on north wall, a wall monument to Richard Chauncy, 1760, the builder of the present Edgcote House. A tablet with scroll pediment and central urn and a bust bracketted on a cartouche of arms at base. Michael Rysbrack, sculp..
In the south aisle.
1. An alabaster altar tomb with two recumbent effigies to Richard Chauncy, d. 1565, and his wife Joan, d. 1571. Panelled sides to tombe with coats of arms

2. A similar tombe to Toby Chauncy and two wives. Coats of arms at onds divided by balustrade pilasters. The north side of the tomb has figures of three sons, two daughters and four babies.

3. On S. wall. Wall panel with pediment and urns, bracketted base and cartouche on apron. To William Chauncy, d. 1644, but not erected until C18 M. Rysbrack sculp..

4. Toby Chauncy, 1662, and Bridget, his wife, 1696. a large panel surrounded by double oared architraves the outer with scroll foot with swags of fruit and flowers at sides, entablature broken forward with architrave carried up into frieze, the centre part with segmental pediment and large coat of arms. Panelled apron with swags and cartouche and carved base.

5. Toby Chauncy, 1724.
An arched panel with springers and key block, flanked by fluted Ionic pilasters supporting entablature. Secondary broken entablature above with open segmental pediment, large central cartouche and urns at sides. Carved apron below.

6. To R.H. of S. door. To Richard Chauncy, 1734, his wife 1701, and his brother, William 1717.
A panel with broken pediment and urn, apron with cartouche, M. Rysbrack, sculp..

7. Mid C.18, no dates. To Toby, Willis and Bridget, children of Toby Chauncy and his 2nd wife, Joanna. Panel broken back at sides, cornice broken scroll pediment with central crost. Panelled apron and cartouche M. Rysbrack, sculp..

8. On W. wall. White marble double tablet with yellow and black marble surround, cornice, honeysuckle pediment and semi-circular apron. Early C.19 and commemorating the following-Mary, wife of William Chauncy, 1779 William Henry Chauncy, 1788 Elizabeth, wife of last, 1803 Elizabeth Chauncy, 1766
Toby Chauncy, 1775 Ann Maria Chauncy, 1795.

{11} Photo dated 1877, also drawings dated June 1842;

Historic England, Undated, St James' Church, Edgcote, BF058267 (Archive). SNN115811.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/117 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F02 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.208-9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<5> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<6> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.496+500 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.119-21 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<8> Photographs of buildings in Edgcote (Photographs). SNN111811.

<9> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.256+58 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<10> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) Dist. of Brackley R.D. Northants. Sept 1960 33 (Report). SNN112993.

<11> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 9:15AM