Diameter: 16" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons
Dove Bell ID: 52359 Tower ID: 19174 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Chorley: St James
Overview
Grid reference: SD 592 171
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave and chancel, aisles, transepts, vestry and south porch.
Dimensions:
Nave 23m long by 20m including aisles. Chancel 10m long by 8m wide.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built in 1878 to designs by the London architects firm Ladds & Powell. This firm is not well known for its ecclesiastical work although St Paul’s in Finchley, North London is a not dissimilar example by Ladds.
The original structure comprised the nave, chancel, north aisle and transept. In 1888 the south aisle, transepts and porch were added and in 1912 further works were undertaken for a new vestry on the north side and the bell turret.
Exterior Description
The church of St James has a steeply pitched nave roof and at the north west corner a small open gabled bellcote but otherwise there is little vertical emphasis to this building. The chancel roof is lower than the nave. To the north and south elevations there are wide transepts with separate pitches and low aisles with lean to roofs; the south elevation also has a porch. On the north side of the chancel there is a vestry extension with a catslide roof linking to the transept and on the south side an additional transept.
The west elevation of the church has a three-light stepped window with plain pointed lancets. Beneath the window is a string course and another at midpoint on either side of it continues around to the clearstorey. Above the window are three small circular foiled openings. There are two buttresses at either side of the nave and these each have three weatherings, the uppermost terminating with a small gablet.
The clearstorey has, as mentioned above, a continuous string course around the openings which are simple short lancets. There are six lancets on both the north and south elevations.
The aisles each have a single light in the west end with a simple hood mould and square stops, seen throughout. The north aisle has three lancets at its eastern end then a door positioned midway between two short buttresses, each with two weatherings. The doorway is a wide pointed opening with hoodmould over.
The south aisle has the same three lights but incorporates a porch at the western end with a separate pitched roof extending from the aisle. The porch is large and the entrance is from the west. The door is similar to that in the north aisle but approached by three steps. The south face of the porch has two short lancets and a quatrefoil roundel overhead.
The north transept has short buttresses to the north with three weatherings. The north elevation has two lancets and a large roundel above containing four quatrefoils. A continuous stringcourse from the around the aisle windows continues beneath the lancets. The transept is surmounted with a cross finial. To the east, the transept roof links to a flat-roofed vestry alongside the nave by means of a catslide. Beneath the catslide is a small pointed doorway leading into the vestry.
The vestry windows are square headed with three sets of openings along the north wall. The east end has a double and single door side by side painted red. The east wall of the vestry rises slightly to create a gable.
The chancel has single lancets in both the north and south faces and on the east elevation a large four light window. The lights in the east window are equal in height with quatrefoil roundels over each pair and a larger cinquefoil further above.
The south transepts each have a separate pitched roof joined by a valley with a chimney rising from between the two. The easternmost transept is positioned against the chancel wall and has three short lancets, as at the clearstorey, in the eastern elevation. On the gable end there is a window comprising a pair of tall lancets under a pointed arch with a quatrefoil over.
The next transept adjoins the south aisle and has no windows other than to the south gable end. Here the details are similar to the north transept with two separate lancets however overhead the roundel contains three trefoils.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century
Chancel
19th century
Aisle
19th century
Aisle
19th century
Transept
19th century
Transept
19th century
Vestry
20th century 1912 addition
Porch
19th century south
Building Materials
Ashlar
19th century walls: coursed gritstone
Welsh Slate
19th century roof tiles
Interior
Interior Description
The north door is the main entrance to the church and opens into an internal draught lobby within the aisle. The nave comprises just two bays; the arcade formed of circular columns with simple capitals. The transept arches are wider than the arcade and spring from the arcade capital on cylindrical corbels. The aisles open into the transepts with a further archway. The easternmost transept on the south side is effectively the organ chamber. The organ pipes fill two arches, into the chancel and into the adjacent transept to the west with panelling below. There are openings within the organ chamber (as described on external aspects) and there appears to be a barrel vaulted roof.
The chancel arch is tall and pointed and stands on slender cylindrical columns. The chancel has been cleared of furniture and is carpeted with a dais extending into the nave with space for demountable rails. The sanctuary area was furnished in the 1950s. There is a shouldered door to the northern vestry and another to the organ chamber.
In the nave there is a dark-stained timber hammer-beam roof. The corbels are of differing lengths and cylindrical with rounded bottoms as seen on the arcade.
The font is positioned centrally at the west end beneath a bright rainbow-coloured window. The floor at the west end has some stone slabs but also the only remaining section on view of the decorative Victorian tiled floor. The rest of the floor has been graduated to meet the dais at the east end and carpeted.
There is a kitchen area contained within the south porch and in the south transept an area of pews has been cleared to give a flexible area of seating.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Nave altar c.1950 constructed of a square central frame with a wider overhanging top. Sanctuary altar of 1878 an open-framed table (dressed) with three sections and some carved detail.
Reredos
20th century c.1950 Panelling across east wall with central image of Dove and symbols of the Evangelists.
Lectern
20th century Simple book rest on a central square pillar with four supporting giving a cross shape on plan.
Font (component)
19th century Octagonal bowl on central stem with eight smaller piers clustered around. Carved sections on each panel and a decorative floriate/leaf band below the bowl. Wooden cover. Given by Mary Jane Bolton AD1888 to the Glory of God and in loving memory of her nephew Samuel Longworth Stock aged 18yrs October 1870.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • East window. Four lights depicting scenes from the life of Christ. 1881 by Ward & Hughes. John Streynsham Master. Rector of Chorley died Dec 1878. Erected by his widow Alice Master 1881. • South chancel window. Single lancet with depiction of Dove/Holy Spirit. In memory of Ainsworth & Worsley families 1977. Not signed. • North chancel window. Single lancet with depiction of the Annunciation. 1977. • South transept. Two lancets, (l) the faithful servant. (r) Jesus and the children. Signed by T F Curtis Ward & Hughes. In memory of Frederick James Owens first Vicar 1878-1906. Erected in 1908 • North transept. Two lancets, (l) Jesus calls James & John (r) St Elizabeth of Hungary. In memory of John Haslem Gillett and his wife Edwina Hannah 1928. Not signed. • West window. Three lancets. Christ in Glory with various saints, apostles etc below. Very bright rainbow colours. 1960. Not signed. Brass plaque below records In memory of Frank Blackledge given by his wife Joan and mother Margaret in memory of her parents Thomas and Alice Heaton.Thomas Heaton worked for St James’ from 1877 and was Vicar’s warden 1908-1926.
Organ (component)
20th century Organ by Richardson, 1927, rebuilt by Pendlebury in 1979 when the action was electrified. 27 speaking stops over 3 manuals and pedal.
Rail
20th century Simple wooden rail with plain paired staunchions creating thin openings with some carved detail. Of a piece with reredos and other sanctuary furnishing. Demountable rails for nave dais not seen.
Inscribed Object
20th century • World War I memorial on the east wall of the North transept • World War II memorial on the east wall of the South transept
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1878.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 592 171
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Sources
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