St James' Church, High Melton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James' Church, High Melton |
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St James' Church, High Melton
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| 53°30′38″N 1°14′02″W / 53.5105°N 1.2338°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE 50917 01811 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.barnburghandharlington.co.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. James |
| Administration | |
| Parish | High Melton |
| Archdeaconry | Doncaster |
| Diocese | Sheffield |
| Province | York |
St James' Church in High Melton is a historic church in South Yorkshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is a special part of the village of High Melton.
Contents
A Look at St James' Church History
This church has been around for a very long time! It stands tall over the village of High Melton, near Doncaster.
Early Beginnings: Saxon Times
The church's story goes all the way back to the Anglo-Saxons. This means parts of it are incredibly old. The main building you see today was mostly built around the year 1100.
In 1153, the church was given to a group of Cistercian nuns at Hampole. It was meant to be a smaller "Chapel of Ease" for the main Priory (a type of monastery) at Hampole. This priory had been started a few years earlier by Avice de Tania and her husband, William Clairfait.
Changes Over Time
For a long time, until about the late 1300s, the church was known as the "Church of All Hallows." Nuns from Hampole Priory, along with special Chaplains, looked after it.
Around this time, a tower was added to the church. Also, a "Lady Chapel" was built on the south-east side. Because of these additions, the church has a unique layout. It has two aisles, which are like walkways inside the church. One goes through a short nave (the main part of the church) and the tower. The other is a long aisle on the south side that leads to the Lady Chapel.
Before the English Reformation (a big change in the church in England), High Melton didn't have its own church area called a parish. It was still guided by the Priory at Hampole. The priory appointed a Curate (a type of priest) and collected money from the church lands. The first official Vicar (another type of priest) for High Melton was appointed much later, in 1660, after the English Civil War.
People Who Helped the Church
Over the years, many generous people have helped St James' Church. These helpers are called benefactors.
Important Families
Two important families were the Fountayne family and their relatives, the Wilson family. The Wilsons later changed their name to Montagu. You can see large memorials inside the church that remember members of these families. Many Fountayne family members are buried under the chancel (the area around the altar). The Montagu family has beautiful marble graves in the churchyard.
Another local family connected to the church was the Levetts of High Melton. Their coat of arms (a family symbol) can be seen in one of the church's stained glass windows.
Modern Improvements
In the early 1900s, benefactors helped make the church even better. They added a stunning rood screen in 1905. This screen has figures showing the Crucifixion of Jesus (when Jesus was crucified).
They also added a reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) and altar frontals (decorations for the front of the altar) in 1907. These beautiful pieces were created by a famous artist named Sir John Ninian Comper. He also did a lot of work for York Minster, a very famous cathedral. The rood screen actually hides a very old and important chancel arch, which is believed to be one of the earliest examples of Norman architecture in the area.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
St James' Church is also famous for its amazing windows. One of these was also made by the Comper Studio.
A man named John Fountayne, who was the Dean of York, brought several pieces of mediaeval (Middle Ages) stained glass to the church. He found these pieces from different places around the county. One special window shows William de Melton, who was the Archbishop of York a long time ago (from 1317 to 1340). There are also small pieces from a "doom scene" window from York Minster.
Dr. Fountayne, who owned the land of High Melton from 1739 to 1802, also added painted glass by William Peckitt and stained glass from a famous artist named Thomas Glazier from the 1300s. This gave the church a rich collection of beautiful windows. Some of the stained glass, including panels with family symbols, were moved from the Old Hall when Dr. Fountayne updated it. The two East Windows were made by Charles Eamer Kempe.
Church Records
The church has Parish Registers (records of births, marriages, and deaths) that go all the way back to 1538. This is quite rare, as many other churches only have records starting from 1558.
The Organ
The church has a pipe organ that was built in 1898 by Forster and Andrews. It has two manuals (keyboards) and uses a "tracker action" system. You can find more details about this organ online on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Tower, Bells, and Clock
The church tower has three main parts. It's mostly built in the "perpendicular" style of English Gothic architecture. The bottom part was built in the 1300s, with more parts added in the 1400s and 1600s.
The Ringing Chamber
The middle part of the tower is called the ringing chamber. It has a large stone fireplace! People in the village say that priests used to live there before the English Restoration.
The Church Bells
The tower holds three bells, but they can't be rung right now.
- The largest bell weighs about 700 pounds and makes a B-flat sound. It was made in 1636 in Doncaster. It has the words "Soli Deo gloria" on it, which means "Glory to God alone." This was an important idea during the Protestant Reformation.
- The second bell makes a C sound and is the oldest. It was made between 1500 and 1510, before the Reformation. It is dedicated to Saint Anthony.
- The smallest bell makes a D sound and was made around 1590.
The Church Clock
The church clock was built in 1788 and has a unique stone clock face. It hasn't worked for many years.
What the Church is Used For Today
St James' Church is part of the Diocese of Sheffield. It is now linked with St Peter in Barnburgh, and St John the Baptist in Adwick-upon-Dearne.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in High Melton
