Church of St James

Details

SO 34 NW; 3/47

KINNERSLEY CP

Church of St James

02.09.66

GV

I

Parish church. C12, C13 and C14. Restored 1868. Sandstone rubble and
sandstone dressings. Stone slate and tiled roofs. North-west tower, aisled
four-bay nave with north vestry and south porch and two-bay chancel.

Tower
has saddleback roof and four stages undivided externally above deep battered
plinth with moulded string. West elevation has one central trefoil-headed
opening to each of the bottom two stages. Blocked square-headed opening with
clock face to third stage. Large square-headed opening to top stage. Gable
separated from top stage by moulded string has small central loop. North
elevation has central trefoil-headed lancet to the bottom stage above plinth.
Rectangular opening to top stage. East elevation has a trefoil-headed opening
to top stage and a loop in the gable. South elevation has trefoil-headed open-
ing above plinth and over low moulded doorway with two-centred head and two
shafts on octagonal bases. Rectangular opening to third stage and a trefoil-
headed opening, similar to that on east side, to top stage. North nave aisle
has continuous catslide roof from nave. To the west side are two square-headed
traceried windows, the right one with two restored ogeed lights; the left similar
but with three lights. Between the two is a weathered buttress. C19 vestry to
centre is gabled with a central lancet. Its western return has a similar opening
but with a ledged oak door and elaborate strap hinges. To the east of the vestry
is another 3-light ogeed window. North-east corner has low weathered angle
buttresses. East window has a chamfered two-centred arch and three stepped
cinquefoil headed lights. Chancel has north elevation with lancet to right-hand
side. To the left is a 2-light traceried window. Each light is cinquefoil-
headed and above is a quatrefoil. To the left of the last window is a small
C19 opening with a four-centred head. Clasping buttress to left corner. East
window has three trefoil-headed lights and a large trefoil in tracery above.
Low clasping buttress to north-east and south-east corners. South elevation
has similar openings to those of north side. To left of the lancet in angle
with the south aisle is an angled projection with a loop lighting stairs to
former rood loft. South aisle also has continuous catslide roof from nave.
Moulded plinth and weathered angle buttresses. Windows correspond to those
of north aisle except that there is no east window. Four buttresses, the one
to the left with a sundial. West elevation of nave has C12 string in form of
a rope moulding to either side of tall window with two-centred head and three
ogeed and trefoiled lights, sexfoiled tracery and a moulded label. Beneath
the window is a round C12 arch, formerly a doorway, with chamfered imposts and
rectangular incised pattern on the label. South porch is restored with elements
of C14 trusses. One bay with arch braces and cambered ties. Entry side has
enriched bargeboards. South doorway has two-centred arch and continuous square
moulding. Nail-studded oak door with strap hinges.

INTERIOR has wagon roofs.
Chancel roof is ceiled and has rich C19 decoration with "Alleluia" repeated
many times. Nave roof is open and has two large moulded tie beams. Aisle roofs
are supported by struts rising from arcades. Chancel has piscina with trefoiled
head and octofoil drain. Blocked tomb recess to north side has chamfered arch.
Reredos incorporates C17 panelling with arch motifs and caryatids. Late C16
communion table with bulbous legs. Two early C17 chairs with acanthus decoration
one with contemporary footstool. C19 choir stalls with attached C17 panelling.
Brass on north wall to William Leviot, 1421, has figure of a priest. Above is
Francis Smalman, died 1633. The deceased and his wire face each other beneath
a canopy with drapes and trumpet-bearing cherubs. Gallants kneel as weepers
beneath. Large panelled organ richly painted and with exposed pipes and
manual pump donated by John and Mary Cheese for John Clutton, dated 1885.
Enriched C19 terracotta floor tiles. Late C19 east window has stained glass
depicting The Last Supper and The Resurrection, for John Clutton and his wife,
Mary. North-east window is also late C19 and for Isabella Clarke. Chancel
arch is 1868, two-centred of two orders with head stops and the inner order
supported on shafts, all richly painted. Chancel screen, perhaps C16 has two
moulded panels to either side of entry and quatrefoil enrichment. Nave has
north arcade with octagonal piers and two-centred arches with two chamfered
orders. South arcade has arches with continuous roll mouldings and bands at
the springing points. Above both arcades is C19 wall painting with foliated
patterns and repeated "IHS" inscriptions. C19 pulpit incorporates C17 panels,
with Flemish figured bas-reliefs. Four large acanthus feet and oak steps, both
perhaps C17. Font is C19 with four shafts clustered around large central shaft and
and octagonal bowl. West window depicts SS Thomas and Cecilia and is dated 1904.
Beneath the west window is a large wall monument by Nicholas Read, for Sir John
Morgan, died 1767. Grey and white marble with almost life-size angel leaning
on portrait bas-relief bust of Morgan's wife Anne who died in 1764. G F Bodley
designed painted decoration of chancel, organ and nave arcades, which were
executed by the Rev Frederick Andrews, incumbent 1873-1920. Bodley's monument
(qv). is in the churchyard near that of Andrews (not included in this list).


Listing NGR: SO3455649617

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

150416

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Herefordshire III North West, (1934), 96-8
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, (1963), 211-12

End of official list entry

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