Church of St James Avebury, England

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

AVEBURY HIGH STREET SU 06 NE (north side) 11/85 Church of St James 22.8.66

GV I

Anglican parish church. C10, late C12, C13, C14, C15, 1812 and chancel restored 1879 by R.J. Withers. Dispersed sarsen and flint, with limestone dressings and ashlar west tower. Stone slate roof to porch, slate to nave, chancel and organ chamber, lead to aisles and screed to north aisle. Late Anglo-Saxon nave, with C15 aisles replacing late C12 narrower aisles. C13 chancel, replacing Saxon chancel, much rebuilt in 1879. C14 south porch and west tower. South porch, also largely rebuilt, with 4-centred arch and fine late C12 reset inner door. This has round arch on double nook shafts, the arch torus moulded with carved chevron and large nailhead outer orders. Corbel at apex. Windows to aisles 3-light Perpendicular, to chancel 2-light and 3-light east window, all with bar tracery. West tower of 3 stages, with angle buttresses and south east square to octagonal stair rising above crenellated parapet Low west door and large 4-light window over. Two light windows to ringing and bell chambers. Crocketed pinnacles to parapet. Aisles have crenellated parapet to independent roofs built at same time as tower. Interior: Tall Anglo-Saxon nave with two single chamfered windows at west end, rebated for shutters on outer face. Some contemporary wall plaster now within north aisle. Three of four original circular windows to clerestory with holes around. C10 walls pierced by C12 arcade of low arches, of which only keeled nook shafts of imposts survive insertion of later medieval arcade, of 2 bays, raised on tall Tuscan columns inserted in 1812. Ogee outer order to chamfered arches. Two light clerestory windows, C17 or later. Tall hollow chamfered tower arch; C15 roof with moulded ties, collars and purlins. Aisles have near flat roofs with moulded ties, and squints to chancel. North aisle has small piscina and stair to rood loft in east pier. Chancel has open timber barrel vault, walls rendered and colourwashed, and tiled floor. Reset piscina with quatrefoiled sink, and arched aumbry. Fittings: Font. A fine C12 barrel with bishop holding crozier flanked by dragons and scrolls. Close spaced arcading below. Pulpit: C19, dark oak. Roof Screen: Imposing panelled screen of C19, with apostles in lower panels against gilded fields, and above C19 coving, a rare complete C15 rood loft with coloured and gilded panelled front resting on beam on wall brackets, with trefoiled arches carrying steep crocketed gables, and friezes of leaves and grapes. Brass lectern. Choir stalls incorporate C17 panelling. Altar C19, with reredos of painted panels with crucifixion and angels. Organ in C19 organ chamber, by Maley of London. Monuments: North Aisle; three C19 wall tablets, to William Kemm, died 1853, and successors; a draped urn over corniced panel, by Harrison of Marlborough. Simple tablet to Elizabeth Brown, died 1835, also by Harrison, a tablet to John Brown, died 1839. On east wall a panel with Gothic border to Rev. John Mayo, died 1866. South Aisle: Limestone war memorial over door. In Chancel: North wall; A fine Carrara marble wall monument with arched pediment, Corinthian pilasters, gadrooned table on brackets and apron. Angels drawing back curtains over inscription to Dame Susanna Holford, died 1772. Drapes at side. Also 2 wall tablets, white marble on grey to William Tanner, died 1847, draped urn over, by Reeves of Bath, and gabled wall tablet to another William Tanner. South side: Carved limestone aedicule with strapwork crest and apron containing 3 brasses, to John Truslowe, erected by his son, 1593. Also a white marble tablet on grey, to John Mayo, died 1830, by Reeves and a small tablet to William Tanner, died 1826, also by Reeves. Brasses: Brass of priest, William Bayly, died 1427, brought from Berwick Bassett Church (q.v.) and C19 brass in north aisle. Miscellaneous: Restored hatchment under tower to Lt Gen Sir Alan Williamson, died 1798, and Royal A