Description

WIGAN

SD50SE HARDMAN STREET, Poolstock
24-1/5/134 (South side)
11/07/83 Church of St James with St Thomas

II*

Formerly known as: Church of St James HARDMAN STREET
Poolstock.
Church. 1863-6 (dated 1866 on tower). By EG Paley. Coursed
squared sandstone, slate roofs. Decorated style.
PLAN: nave with west tower, north and south aisles, chancel
with south chapel and north vestry.
EXTERIOR: the large 5-stage west tower, with angle buttresses
up to the 4th stage (those at the south-west corner clasping a
vice), has a segmental-pointed west doorway with moulded
surround, double-doors with large ornamental strap hinges, and
a hood-mould with figured stops (as have all the windows in
the church); a 2-centred arched 4-light traceried west window;
a crocketed niche at the 3rd stage containing the monogrammed
date "1866" (2-light windows in the sides at this level);
clockfaces to the 4th stage; pairs of 2-light gabled belfry
windows with stone louvres; a frieze with ball-flower
enrichment and a pierced parapet with crocketed pinnacles.
Both the high 5-bay nave and its aisles have cavetto cornices
with grotesques between bays, and embattled parapets with
pierced triangular upstands between bays; the nave has a
clerestory of coupled segmental-pointed 2-light windows with
crocketed shafts and tracery alternately mouchette and
trefoil, and large east pinnacles; the aisles are buttressed
and have one 2-centred arched 3-light traceried window in each
bay, except the 2nd of the south aisle which has a large
gabled porch which has (inter alia) a 2-centred arched moulded
doorway with semi-columns, ball-flower ornament, and a
hood-mould with figured stops and crocketed finial. The lower
2-bay chancel, with diagonal buttresses, a cornice like that
of the nave and a parapet of pierced trefoils, has a 2-bay
transept to the 1st bay with a geometrical rose window, a
2-light window to the 2nd bay, and a very large 2-centred
arched 5-light east window with wheel tracery in the head.
INTERIOR: tall 5-bay arcades of slender columns alternately
quatrefoil with annular caps and octagonal with carved
stiff-leaf caps (all different), moulded 2-centred arches with
hood-moulds which have large figured stops (all different);
paired clerestory windows in reveals with free-standing
shafts; carved angel corbels (all different) to arch-braced
king post roof trusses which have open-work spandrels; large
moulded chancel arch; richly-decorated chancel including
ornate reredos, 2 tiers of niches with carved figures flanking
east window (1877), side walls with carved stone panels and
frescoes with painted figures on gilded ground; good stained
glass in chancel and chapel by Hardman of Birmingham.
HISTORY: founded by James and Nathaniel Eckersley (of
Eckersleys Mills, Swan Meadow Road, (qv)).

Listing NGR: SD5782004545

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St James' Church, Poolstock at Wikipedia
• St James' Church, Poolstock official website
• Wikidata Q7593449

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living