Church of St James
CHURCH OF ST JAMES
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1200500
- Date first listed:
- 20-Dec-1960
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St James
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST JAMES
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2005-04-02
- Reference:
- IOE01/14020/24
- Rights:
- © Mr Steven Vaux. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1200500
- Date first listed:
- 20-Dec-1960
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St James
- Statutory Address 1:
- CHURCH OF ST JAMES
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST JAMES
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Sutton Benger
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 93506 78584
Details
SUTTON BENGER DRAYCOT CERNE ST 97 NW
8/262 Church of St James
20.12.60 II*
Anglican parish church, c1300 with C16 west tower, altered in mid C19, rubble stone, ashlar tower, stone slate roof and coped gables. Tower, nave, south porch, north family chapel of Long and Wellesley families, and chancel. Tower is plain, 2-stage with plinth, diagonal buttresses to lower stage, 3-light Perpendicular style west window, dripcourse, small 2-light flat-headed bell-openings, and flat parapet. North east octagonal stair tower with turret and weathervane. Nave has carved paired heads under kneelers of gables, stepped buttresses below and details of c1300 and C14. South side has plain lancet with C19 decorative leading, then C15 porch with sundial finial, pointed arch and three 2-light flat- headed cusped side windows. Inside, stone seats, pointed door with hood and carved stops, small piscina to right. To right of porch, C19 two-light with octofoil head. North side has similar lancet to right of family chapel, and two C14 two-light windows with quatrefoil heads to left, of differing sizes. Chapel is probably C18 with coved eaves cornice but C19 tall 2-light north window and door to right. East side stack. Chancel has three north lancets and broad arched low opening infilled with ashlar, clasping buttresses, stepped triple lancet east window with short centre buttress below, probably C19, and two lancets to south, C19 remodelled low door to left with single light adjoining. Various affixed C18 monuments on south wall of chancel and nave. Interior: nave has C19 boarded roof and fine complete set of early C19 Gothic panelled box pews with two-decker pulpit. Stone octagonal font, tulip shape, uncertain date. Moulded tower arch. Similar Gothic panelling to family chapel, including secret door. Plain fireplace. Chancel has broad pointed chamfered arch and is lower than nave. C19 roof, rere arches to lancets and double piscina on south wall. Fittings and monuments: In chancel side windows stained glass of c1860. East window of c1880. On floor brass to Sir Edward de Cerne died 1393 and his widow died 1419, on north wall fine cinquefoil-cusped tomb-recess with effigy of a knight, said to be Phillip de Cerne, c1300; 1856 marble relief of Hon C. Wellesley by Baron de Triqueti and fine painted stone Perpendicular tomb chest of Sir T. Long died 1508. In nave south, stained glass of 1896 by Ward & Hughes. Family chapel has fine series of monuments, notably on west wall centre James Long died 1728 and, opposite, fine neo-classical monument with bust to Sir Robert Long died 1767, by J. Wilton. On east wall, to left, Sir J.T. Long died 1805, by King of Bath and, to right, Sir J.T Long died 1794 by F. Robins, also bust of Adelaide Wellesley died 1843 aged 8. On north wall monument to 5th Earl of Mornington died 1863 with standing angels. (N. Pevsner, Wiltshire, 1975, 225-6)
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 316090
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Wiltshire, (1975), 225-6
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 13:59:40.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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