Description

.. CASTLE ACRE CHURCH LANE (east side) TF 8115

11/3 Church of St. James. 15.8.60. - I

Parish Church. Largely C14 and C15, with some c.1300 details, restored by Ewan Christian, architect. Rubble flint with squared knapped flint and cut stone dressings, leaded aisle, green slate nave and chancel roofs. West tower, 5 bay nave, clerestorey, north and south aisles, north porch, 3 bay chancel, north vestry. Perpendicular 4 stage west tower with 2 angle buttresses to each face. Perpendicular moulded arch west door. Large 2 stage 4-light west embattled transom window, traceried upper panels. Sounding chamber has 2 quatrefoil sound-hole openings to each face. Bell stage has 4 2-light Perpendicular windows. Moulded stone plinth. Angle buttresses with 5 set offs, sixth stage above become angle clasping buttress with tracery panels. Battle- mented tracery panel parapet, flat roof. 2 storey Perpendicular north porch with outer moulded arch. Large arched aumbry or stoup opening. Blocked 3-light parvise window. 5 bay north aisle has at west one 3-light straight headed Perpendicular window, 2 windows under 4-centred Perpendicular arches. 3 central windows have rich Curvilinear tracery with 2 quatrefoils set in lozenges. 2 east windows of Rectilinear tracery, richest at east. 5 buttresses with 2 set offs. 5 bay south aisle has 4 Perpendicular 3-light windows, one 2-light west Perpendicular window with battlemented transom. One 3-light Perpendicular east window. 5 bay Perpendicular clerestorey with 3-light straight headed windows. 3 bay chancel has re-set Early English south priest's door with collonnettes and moulded arch, blocked arch above. 2 elaborate tracery 3-light Perpendicular windows with battlemented transoms in upper lights. East window replaced by Ewan Christian with Early English style plate tracery. 4-light window. Distinctive 2 storey elevation C15 north vestry with 2 2-light straight headed Perpendicular east windows, 3 north side rectangular slits. Angle buttress, stone parapet with 4 kneeling beast pinnacles. Interior: 5 bay north and south arcades involve either C15 re- building of c.1300 piers or insertion of alternate C15 piers, all with Perpendicular double hollow chamfered arches. Almost detached shaft c.1300 quatrefoil piers with original moulded bases and capitals alternate with quatrefoil piers with C15 bases and capitals. Perpendicular tower and chancel arches. Double frame nave roof has perhaps C17 or C18 arched upper trusses resting on main truss, C19 boarding. Mid C19 roofs elsewhere. C15 octagonal stone font of simple design with roll mouldings running up from stem to bowl. Fine C15 spire canopy with architectural frame of arches, buttresses and spirelets surviving, panels missing surviving. Tower arch with C18 Commandment boards re-used in C20 screen. Aisles have sides and upper arched trusses with crested framing of parclose screens. C15 poppyhead benches in both aisles. Fine painted C15 goblet pulpit with 4 Doctors of Latin Church. Rood stairs and rood loft door at south. Fine dado only of rood screen with painted Apostle panels. Chancel stalls with misericord seats, front panels made up from re-used screens. Large mutilated large piscina with cut back triangular spandrel with traces of trefoils, perhaps c.1300.

Listing NGR: TF8159815022

External Links

• Wikidata Q17536641

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