Description

In the entry for; LEICESTER LONDON ROAD SK 60 SW 18/310A Church of St James the Greater II the grade shall be amended to read; II* (star)

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LONDON ROAD 1. 5304 Church of St James SK 60 SW 18/310A the Greater II 2. Parish church. 1895 - 1901, west front 1911-14. Designed by H L Goddard of Leicester. Brick with ashlar dressings and a Swithland slate roof. Basilica plan, with semi-circular eastern apse. West front has central projecting section, with ashlar base with moulded plinth and rusticated quoins, flanked by ashlar round stair turrets, topped with balustrades. The upper floor has a large round headed window with a moulded arch and imposts, and flanking Corinthian columns supporting an open and broken pediment containing an urn supported on the bracketed keystone. Above a round headed ashlar niche, with flanking composite columns supporting an open segmental pediment, topped by a cross and a cherub's head. This section is topped by an ashlar open pediment, supported on a swagged frieze. Either side are doorways on the ground floor, with double doors and fanlights, within semi-circular headed ashlar door surrounds with moulded arches and imposts. Each is flanked by fluted Corinthian columns supporting an entablature with bucranium and cherub frieze. Above brick towers with angle pilaster buttresses, and a single tall round headed window with an ashlar cherub keystone, each surmounted by an entablature with pulvinated frieze. Above single square culopas with angle pilaster buttresses supporting an entablature with between round arched bell openings, topped with shallow ashlar domes with a circular dormer to each face topped with an open segmental pediment. (A tall central campanile was designed to complete this front, but it was never built.) INTERIOR. 8 bay nave, with narrow side aisle, 3 bay choir with Morning Chapel to south. The nave has 7 Matlock sandstone columns to each arcade, on ashlar bases with ornate terracotta capitals, each individually moulded. The round arches and the rood pilasters are lined with terracotta, the choir has similarly decorated arches, and the semi-circular apse has flanking marble columns with large ornate terracotta capitals. The apse is lit by 5 small round headed windows with terracotta figures of the apostles between, below are frescoes painted in c1935 by the architect's daughter, Miss Diana Goddard, and above the vault is painted with constellations. The reredos was also added c.1935. The walls of the aisles are decorated with blind arches each containing an oval window with figurative terracotta surround, and terracotta corbels between which support the roof which is panelled with a central barrel vault. The choir is raised above the rest of the church with a glazed terracotta balustrade with angel balusters. The pulpit is supported on glazed terracotta columns and smothered in similar decoration.

SOURCES "The Building of St James the Greater, Leicester" by Alan McWhirr. Trans of the Leics Archeological and Historical Society Vol. LX 1988

Listing NGR: SK6002503300

External Links

• Church of St James the Greater at Wikipedia
• Church of St James the Greater official website
• Wikidata Q17553763

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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