Hatcham: St James (closed)
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 363 767
The church was designed by Walter L. Bozzi Granville, brother of the first Vicar; the design was shown at the Royal Academy in 1849, the foundation stone was laid on 18 June 1853 and the church was consecrated on 17 October 1854. The cost was £4,695. The north transept was altered by Arthur Tooth, whose architect was F. Rogers. A vestry was added in 1897 to the designs of W. Gilbee Scott.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
The church is cruciform with a nave of five bays, the easternmost being wider than the others and opening into transepts. Both north and south transepts have short aisles on the east and west sides, those to the north transept being apsidal. That on the west of the north transept was intended as a baptistery but is now a meeting room and that on the east is a vestry with the organ standing on a gallery in the southern part, opening through an arch into the chancel. The vicar's vestry lies to the east of this. There is no tower or bell-cote.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by Walter L. Bozzi Granville, brother of the first Vicar; the design was shown at the Royal Academy in 1849, the foundation stone was laid on 18 June 1853 and the church was consecrated on 17 October 1854. The cost was £4,695. The north transept was altered by Arthur Tooth, whose architect was F. Rogers. A vestry was added in 1897 to the designs of W. Gilbee Scott.
Exterior Description
The church is approached from the north, and presents initially one of its least satisfactory aspects. This consists of two apsidal projections each side of an unfinished gable. It is at first difficult to relate these forms to a cruciform building, but in fact the gable is that of the north transept and the apses house the baptistery and sacristy which were added by Father Tooth. Each face of the apses has a pair of lancets with a small quatrefoil above, a motif repeated each side of the door which opens into a low narthex below the gable. The gable itself is evidently one bay shorter than was intended and ends with an arch filled with rendered brick.
To the right is the nave, with three-light Decorated windows in each bay of the aisles, separated by buttresses, and unduly small two-light windows in each by of the clerestory above, the wall here being entirely plain and undivided. The south flank of the nave is similar and the south transept was completed, with a large tracery window in the gable and three-light windows in the south gables of the transept aisles. The west front of the nave has tall two-light windows in the aisles walls and a lavish doorway with two separate two centred arches under a central trumeau (intended for carving but never completed) with three pairs of shafts each side with foliated capitals and a hoodmould terminating in spirited attempts to depict the heads of Green Men or woodwoses.
The chancel has a wide, awkwardly shaped gable with a seven-light window in the east wall and a two-light window in the south wall of the sanctuary. Otherwise the chancel is mostly concealed by the later vestry on the north and by the aisle of the transept on the south. Throughout the exterior of the church the carved detail (where executed) is harsh and, in the case of the corbel table to the aisles and clerestory, peculiar. Part of the reason for the awkwardness of the church, and its half-finished appearance, is the interrupted history of the building since the first incumbent who paid for most of the work was un unbusinesslike man who was nearly bankrupted by the exercise.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1953
The large east window represents Christ in Glory and is by Francis Spear.
Stained Glass
1953
The south transept has a small east window with a representation of The Annunciation by Francis Spear.
Stained Glass
1954
The south window of the south transept is of the Nativity by Francis Spear.
Stained Glass
The south transept west aisle has a three-light window of The Crucifixion by Francis Spear.
Stained Glass
1906
The south aisle has two windows with stained glass, one reprosenting Faith, Hope and Charity of 1906 by Jones and Willis.
Stained Glass
1954
The south aisle has two windows with stained glass, this one showing The Resurrection by Francis Spear.
Stained Glass
1956
The north transept west aisle has one two-light window showing Christ and the Children, by Francis Spear.
Interior
Interior Description
As a result of the peculiar plan the interior is broad and spreading, with vistas into the south transept and its aisles. The piers of the arcades to the nave and south transept are quatrefoil in plan, with water-holding mouldings round the bases and mouldings round the capitals, the bases standing on diamond-shaped plinths. The piers at the corners of the 'crossing' are clusters of eight shafts rather than four, the intermediate ones keeled and the others found. The floors are of red and black quarries in the alleys and wood blocks under the pews. The arches to the nave are pointed, with chamfered edges, but those to the aisles of the south transepts are depressed. The walls are painted cream with some mouldings picked out in blue. In the eastern bay of the north aisle two arches open into the west aisle of the north transept, intended by Tooth as a baptistery but now used as a meeting room. The east aisle of the transept is a choir vestry approached through an oak screen above which stands the organ. The roof in the nave is of thin construction with arch braces at each bay and intermediately, resting in each case on stone corbels carved with foliage.
The chancel arch is broad and tall, supported at each side on stone corbels against shafted piers which are carved as angels. The arch is crossed by an oak screen and beyond it the chancel is of two bays, one for the choir and one for the sanctuary. The former has an arch on the north containing the organ above the vestry and an arch on the south opening into the east aisle of the south transept. The eastern of the two bays has a small doorway on the north communicating with the clergy vestry within the altar rails and on the south side four arches on small colonettes which house the three sedilia and a piscina. Against the east wall is a reredos of ceramic panels set within a stone frame and there are stone arches on each side. The upper part of the reredos cuts into the sill of the east window, a large design of seven lights with geometric tracery enclosed by shafts and a moulded arch. There is a further window in the south wall of the sanctuary and both bays of the chancel are vaulted with moulded ribs arranged in a quadripartite design springing from carved corbels in each corner and midway along the north and south walls and with foliate bosses, the eastern one showing the chalice and host.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is large, of oak, with three panels containing crosses on the front.
Reredos
1911
The reredos has a representation of The Last Supper after Leonardo da Vinci executed in ceramic mosaic.
Pulpit
c.1880
The pulpit is of oak, hexagonal with traceried panels on a base of stone with small colonettes which appear to be of serpentine. The cornice is carved with vine trail and the steps have a brass rail.
Lectern
The lectern is a brass eagle of naturalistic appearance. Although the stem is obviously Victorian.
Organ (object)
1854
The organ is a two-manual instrument by J.W. Walker.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 363 767
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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