Church of St James the Less, Sulgrave facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James the Less, Sulgrave |
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St James the Less, Sulgrave
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| Location | Sulgrave, Northamptonshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | St James the Less, Sulgrave |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 4 February 1969 |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon; Early English Gothic; Decorated Gothic; Perpendicular Gothic; Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 6 (1928, except for the treble) |
| Tenor bell weight | 10 long cwt 3 qr 2 lb (1,206 lb or 547 kg) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Sulgrave |
| Deanery | Brackley |
| Archdeaconry | Northampton |
| Diocese | Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St James the Less, Sulgrave is a historic Church of England church in the village of Sulgrave, Northamptonshire. It's about 5 miles (8 km) north of Brackley. Most of the church you see today was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It's considered a very important historical building, listed as Grade II*.
Contents
A Look at the Church's Design
Sulgrave has had a church since the Anglo-Saxon times, which was a very long time ago! However, that first church wasn't in the same spot as the one we see today. It was likely on higher ground, closer to the windmill.
Building the Church We See Today
The church on its current site was built in the 13th century. Some materials from the older church were reused. A cool example is a triangular-shaped doorway, which is a classic Anglo-Saxon design. This doorway is now the west door of the church tower and might be from the 10th century. The bell openings at the top of the tower and the narrow, pointed windows (called lancet windows) at the bottom are from the 13th century.
The Tower's Story
The church tower once had a tall, pointy spire, but it fell down in the 14th century. Records from around 1340 say the church was "destroyed." Stone from a place called Helmdon was brought in to fix it. Helmdon stone was known as the best building stone in the area.
Later Additions and Changes
The south side of the church (called the south aisle) was added in the mid-14th century. It still has its original windows from that time. The row of arches (called an arcade) between the south aisle and the main part of the church (the nave) was built a bit later.
In the south aisle, there's also a small opening called a squint. This allowed people in the aisle to see the main altar. There's also a stone basin (a piscina) from the 14th or 15th century. These were used when the aisle had its own altar. The squint was closed up after the Reformation but reopened in 1885. The south door is from the 14th century. The porch outside it was added in the 16th century and has a special arch shape typical of that time. A stone above it shows the initials "ER" and the year 1564. This might be to remember Queen Elizabeth I's visit to Northampton that year.
The front part of the church (the chancel) has two windows on its south side. The one closer to the front is older, and the other is a bit newer. The stone basin used for baptisms (the baptismal font) is shaped like an octagon and might be from the 1660s.
Victorian Updates
In 1840, the walls of the nave were made taller, and the old wooden roof was replaced. Windows were also made shorter to fit in extra seating areas called galleries. However, in 1885, these galleries were removed, and the old oak roof was put back. To make up for the lost seating, a new north aisle was added that same year, reusing an old 14th-century doorway. The large window at the very front of the chancel is also from the 19th century.
The east window in the south aisle has four stained glass pictures of the Washington family's coats of arms. These are probably from the 16th century.
Inside the Church
St James' has a very old wooden chest, carved from a single oak tree trunk. It's thought to be from the 14th century and has strong iron bands around it.
The Washington Family Connection
In the south aisle, you can find the Washington Pew. This is a special seat from the 17th century that was used by the Washington family when they lived at Sulgrave Manor. This family is famous because George Washington, the first President of the United States, was one of their descendants!
In 1929, a wooden screen was put in to separate the tower from the main church, creating a small room called a vestry. This was paid for by a group called the Women's Committee of the George Washington Institute.
In 1930, a pipe organ was given to the church by The Colonial Dames of America. This organ was later replaced with a new one in 1975.
Memorials and Tombs
Under the floor at the east end of the south aisle is the tomb of Amee Washington (who died in 1564) and her husband Lawrence (who died in 1584). The tomb is covered by a large stone slab with special metal pictures (called monumental brasses) set into it. Originally, there were six brasses. Sadly, some of these brasses, including the one of Amee Washington and the family coat of arms, are now missing. In 1889, two brasses of their children and part of Lawrence Washington's brass were stolen. Luckily, they were found in 1923 and put back in 1924.
Later, in 1659, the Washington family sold Sulgrave Manor. Around 1673, it was bought by the Hodges family. On the south wall of the south aisle, above the Washington pew, there are three beautiful marble memorials to members of the Hodges family. The biggest one is for two brothers, John and Rev Moses Hodges, who both died in 1724.
Bells and Clock
In 1552, during a time of change in the church, a list showed that the church had four bells in its tower and a smaller "sanctus bell." The church leaders had even sold one of the bells to help pay for road repairs!
None of the bells from 1552 are still around today, but their metal might have been used to make the current bells. The small sanctus bell was very old, but it was recast (melted down and reshaped) in 1806. The third bell was made in 1610, and the fourth in 1612. The fifth bell was made in 1744, and the second bell in 1769. The largest bell, called the tenor bell, was made in 1808, making a set of five bells. In 1928, all five bells were recast. Then, in 1932, a sixth bell (the treble bell) was added, completing the set of six bells we hear today.
The clock in the west tower was made and put in place in 1928.
Images for kids
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St James the Less, Sulgrave
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Interior of the nave, looking east towards the chancel. A USAF chaplain is addressing a small congregation.
