Details
BRATTON CHURCH ROAD
ST 95 SW
( south side )
5/9 Church of St James
11.9.68
GV II *
Anglican parish church. C14, C15, chancel rebuilt 1854 by G.G.
Scott, restoration 1860 by T.H. Wyatt. Rubble stone and ashlar,
lead roofs. Aisled cruciform plan with south porch and north
vestry. Porch is C15 rebuild of earlier one; gabled, with C19
Tudor-arched doorway, pair of C19 lancets over, diagonal buttress
to left, battlemented parapet with scratch sundial with initials
JR/W to centre merlon. South aisle to left has 2-light C16 window
with cusped lights, battlemented parapet. South clerestory has two
3-light pointed Perpendicular windows, string course with large
gargoyles to battlemented parapet. South transept has C14 two-
light window with hoodmould to south, diagonal buttresses, C19 C16-
style window to east, plain parapet. 1854 chancel has lancet
either side of blind doorway, east end has diagonal buttresses, 3-
light geometric-style window. 1925 north vestry has 2-light
windows to east and north, gargoyles from nave roof reset on
parapet. North transept has 2-light C14 north window, diagonal
buttresses and plain parapet. North aisle has two C16 cusped 2-
light windows with hoodmoulds, chamfered pointed doorway to left,
string course to plain parapet. North clerestory has two 3-light
Perpendicular windows and parapet with gargoyles. West end has
diagonal buttresses to outer corners of aisles, buttresses with
offsets to nave; large Tudor-arched C15 doorway with 4-light
Perpendicular window over, former roofline visible. Three-stage
crossing tower has 2-light C16 windows to first stage, large
painted sundial to middle stage with words TEMPUS FUGIT and date
1801, single-light to all sides, bellstage has 2-light square-
headed windows with pierced stone louvres, string course with
gargoyles to battlemented parapet, octagonal stair turret on north
east corner has chamfered loopholes and conical roof.
Interior: Porch has stone benches, C14 image niche over C19
doorway. Two-bay nave with C15 shallow-pitched king post roof with
moulded soffits, on C19 corbels. North and south arcades are recut
C14 wave-moulded piers with attached shafts to wide pointed arches,
moulded pointed arches at east end to transepts. Fine C14 crossing
with compound piers and moulded arches, tierceron vault on carved
head corbels, with circular bell rope hatch with bosses. South
transept, now organ chamber, and north transept have C19 rafter
roofs, north transept retains angel corbels and four blocked cusped
niches to east wall, narrow ribbed door to stairs. Chancel has
archway to vestry and blind doorway, trefoiled piscina. Fittings:
recut C12 font bowl with scallops, C19 pulpit and pews, altar is
C17 table. Good stained glass to east, west, and aisle windows by
A. Gibbs, 1860s. Monuments include south transept marble tablets
to William Whitaker, died 1771, with urn; to Elizabeth Whitaker
died 1806 by King of Bath.
(J. Morrison, Bratton Church Guide; N. Pevsner, The Buildings of
England, Wiltshire, 1975)
Listing NGR: ST9141651930
