Details
CASTLE BYTHAM CHURCH LANE
SK 9818-9918
16/50 Church of St. James
30.10.68
G.V. I
Parish church. Late C12, C13, C14, C15, C17, 1774, C19, c.1900.
Squared and coursed limestone rubble, slate and lead roofs.
Western tower, nave and clerestory, aisles, north porch,
transepts, chancel. 3 stage early C13 tower has plinth,
chamfered string courses, embattled parapet with cusped lozenge
frieze and gargoyles. Belfry stage has paired pointed lights
with round headed shafted surround. On the south side a large
octagonal sundial dated 1774. In the west wall a blocked narrow
opening and a lancet to each stage and a blank circular opening
with octagonal ashlar surround. On the north face an octagonal
clock. In the north aisle 2 early C14 3 light windows, cusped Y
tracery, and a similar 2 light window to the north. Long early
C13 gabled north porch, with engaged triple shafts to the
reveals, moulded capitals and double chamfered arch, human head
label stops to hood. Side benches. C14 continuously moulded
inner doorway. C14 clerestory of 3 two light windows, rounded
heads to the lights, sunk spandrels, hood moulds, ballflower
eaves frieze. North transept north window, late C13 of 3 lights,
plate tracery with sunk trefoils and quatrefoils. In the east
wall a C19 lancet. C14 chancel with continuously moulded pointed
doorway and 2 two light curvilinear traceried windows with
mouchettes. Late C13 east window of 3 lights with roll moulded
mullions and surround with deeply sunk roundels and quatrefoil to
the head. To south side, 3 windows match those to the north.
C13 south transept, a lancet to the east and 3 stepped lancets to
the south under single chamfered arch. No clerestory to south
side, but 2 two light windows with mouchettes and continuously
moulded doorway. Interior. Late C12 3 bay north arcade,
circular responds but octagonal piers, waterleaf and facetted
capitals, double chamfered round arches. Early C13 tower arch,
circular responds, facetted capitals, double chamfered arches.
Above, a small C12 round headed window with a blocked opening to
the right and evidence of another opening to the left. A further
late C12 archway to the south transept has octagonal responds and
double chamfered round arches. In the east wall of the north
transept a C13 piscina. Double chamfered C13 chancel arch with
to left a blank arch, a former squint, now with C19 carved rear
panel and to right a 4 centred C15 doorway to rood loft. Nave
roof appears to be C14 with moulded tie beams on wall posts with
simple corbels. In the chancel a C14 piscina with hacked back
cusps and a c.l900 carved wooden reredos. On the north wall a
C14 Easter Sepulchre with bold hollow cusped and crocketed ogee
arched canopy with pinnacles and ball flowers. Above a ledge
having panelled front with blank cusped ogee arches, crockets and
pinnacles. Fittings. Early C17 octagonal font with panelled
sides containing abstract decoration, a stepped cross and the
Sacred Monogram. In the nave a fine brass candelabrum dated
1816. Otherwise fittings are C19 and c.1900. C19 stained glass,
and a ladder at the west end of the nave made from the village
maypole of 1660. C10 Saxon cross shaft with cable moulded
angles, floral decoration to the sides and interlace to the
panels. Monuments. In the north transept a stone wall plaque in
the form of an obelisk with palms to William Exton, d,1789, by
Gilbert of Stamford. In south wall of nave a further obelisk
wall plaque with draped urn to John Coverley d.1787, and in the
chancel 3 matching round headed plaques to members of the
Hopkinson family, 1793, 1810, 1825.
Listing NGR: SK9885818348
