Building record 4760/2/1 - Church of St. James the Great

13th-15th century, much restored (including rebuilding) 1844, 1854 (chancel), and 1864. Coursed squared limestone, slate roofs, lead to north aisle, chancel chapel and west tower. Chancel, north chancel chapel and vestry, nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, west tower.

{1} Church. C13, C14, C15, much restored (including rebuilding) 1844, 1854 (chancel), and 1864. Coursed squared limestone, slate roofs, lead to north aisle, chancel chapel and west tower. Chancel, north chancel chapel and vestry, nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, west tower. 3-bay chancel has 3-light Decorated style east window, 3-light windows with intersecting tracery to south and north-east, all with hood moulds, priest's door to south, chamfered, with hood mould linked to string course, buttresses to angles and between bays to south. North chancel chapel continues north aisle and has coupled lancets to south, attached vestry to east with small rectangular windows with chamfered stone surrounds to east and north and ridged stone roof and 5-sided tower beside chancel with similar windows. Nave has 5-bay clerestory with spherical triangle windows and quatrefoil tracery. North aisle has 2-light windows to north with Y-tracery, double-chamfered north door with hood mould and carved head stops within porch of 1864. South aisle has 2-light east window with Decorated-style tracery, 2-light windows to south with Y-tracery and quatrefoil in heads, all with hood moulds. South door with double sunk chamfers within porch with double hollow-chamfered doorway with hood mould, one-light windows to east and west with ogee head, diagonal buttresses, tile roof and stone-coped gable. 3-stage west tower has chamfered west door, a 3-light Perpendicular window above with hood mould continuing string course. C19 single-storey lean-to store to north, stair turret projection to south-east with small quatrefoil windows and one small 2-light trefoil headed window at middle stage level. Tall 2-light Perpendicular bell-openings, with transoms and hood moulds. Diagonal buttresses to west angles and battlemented parapets. Interior: chancel has fine C14 triple sedilia and double piscina, seats with pointed trefoil heads, miniature rib vaults within with foliage bosses, projecting divisions with crocketted pinnacles, crocketted hood moulds with ogee-arch frieze above the underside carved with foliage and fantastic beasts and brattishing on top; piscina has six-pointed star in spandrel. Chancel chapel windows have detached shafts inside and half columns, moulded capitals and arches with dog-tooth ornament; 2-bay arcade to chancel with octagonal pier and double-chamfered arches. Nave has 5-bay arcades with similar piers and arches, alternating with circular piers to north. C19 roofs except for C20 roof to chancel chapel. Triptych reredos of 1880 designed by Swinfen Harris with panels painted by Nathaniel Westlake. Fine C19 Perpendicular-style painted stone pulpit. Norman tub font with palmette style ornament either side of scalloped beaded fillet. Stained glass: south-west chancel window 1878 by Clayton and Bell, tower window by Hardman 1893, and C17 painted armorial panels in heads of chancel chapel windows. Monuments: mid C14 oak effigies of knight and lady, her pillow supported by angels, on panelled stone chest tomb, thought to commemorate Sir Lawrence de Pavely and his wife. Large black marble and alabaster chest tomb with relining effigies of Sir Arthur Throckmorton d.1603 and his wife, leaning on one elbow and facing each other. C17 wall monument with segmental pediment filled by cartouche. Wall monument to Benjamin Bathurst d.1704 and his wife d.1727 topped by urn against obelisk panel (behind organ). Wall monuments to Joseph Spinall d.1726 by Hunt, and Robert Sheddon of Paulersbury Park d.1826 by Theakston, and other C19 wall monuments. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.371; Kelly's Directory for Northamptonshire, 1928; Guide to the Church of St. James the Great (no date).

{4}Observation of excavation within north aisle of church. Revealed recent underfloor sills, earlier flagstone floor, 4 courses of limestone blocks (possibly forming earlier base to west end of north arcade) and layers of orange clean sand over red burnt layer, charcoal rich layer and layer of disturbed soil containing limestone fragments.

{10} Watching brief during reflooring of south aisle (west end). Floor excavated to depth of c.0.3m but no pre-modern features recorded.

{11} Undated photo, also photo dated 25.11.1993;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 12/40 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F07 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.371 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Kidd S., 1995, SMR Report form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49441.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.312-14 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<6> , 1981, THE CHURCH OF ST JAMES THE GREAT, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN43771.

<7> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 42 p.87-88 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<8> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.250-51+55 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<9> DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN57611.

<10> Kidd S., 1995, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49446.

<11> Photographs of buildings in Paulerspury (Photographs). SNN113514.

<12> Historic England, Undated, St James the Greats Church, Paulerspury, BF107384 (Archive). SNN116073.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 3:45PM