Church of St James, Southstoke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St James the Great |
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| Location | Southstoke, Somerset, England |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 1 February 1956 |
| Reference no. | 1277046 |
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The Church of St James is an old and beautiful church located in the village of Southstoke, Somerset, England. It is a Christian church that belongs to the Anglican faith. This church is very special because it was built a long, long time ago, in the 12th century! That means it's over 800 years old. Because of its age and importance, it has been given a special status as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's protected and recognized as a very important historical place.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The Church of St James is named after James, son of Zebedee, who is also known as St James the Great. When the church was first built in the 1100s, it looked a bit different from how it does today. Over the centuries, people made changes and added new parts to it.
Changes Over the Years
- 15th Century Updates: Around the 1400s, the church was changed and made bigger. This was a common time for churches to be updated.
- Victorian Era Work: Much later, in the 1840s and 1850s, more big changes happened. This period is called the Victorian era. During this time, parts like the chancel (the area around the altar) and the south aisle (a side section of the church) were rebuilt.
- Norman Doorway: Even with all these changes, one very old part of the church remains. The north door is still from the original 12th-century building. It shows a special style of building called Norman.
What Makes the Norman Door Special?
A famous expert on buildings, Pevsner, described the church's unique features. He noted that the north doorway has interesting designs. It has columns with a diamond pattern, and one column even has smaller patterns inside the diamonds. The stone above the door has a carved, low-pitched top. The space above the door, called the tympanum, has a cool criss-cross pattern. The arch itself is decorated with flower-like shapes and a zig-zag design.
Pevsner also mentioned other parts of the church:
- The tower is not very tall and was built in a style called Perpendicular.
- The south aisle and the chancel were rebuilt around 1845 and 1850.
- The stone pulpit (where the priest stands to give sermons) is shaped like a polygon and is likely from the Perpendicular period too.
Old Church Treasures
In the 1950s, Pevsner also saw some very old and valuable items inside the church. These included:
- An Elizabethan chalice: This is a special cup used during church services, and it dates back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I (the 1500s).
- A paten from 1700: This is a small plate used with the chalice. This one was made by a person named Thomas Parr in the year 1700.
These items show how long the church has been used and how many generations have worshipped there.
