St James' Church, Normanton

The medieval Grade I Listed church, Church of St. James, was built in the 13th century.[3] It is located in the south of the village on Main Street and is situated on the east bank of the River Soar (which is the county boundary with Leicestershire).[4] In April 2014 work was completed rebuilding and re-pointing the spire.[5] Due to its location, the Church was traditionally known as "The Boatman's Church";[4] steps lead down from the churchyard to a small mooring platform on the river.

The nave of St. James', noted for its 15th century raised shallow roof.

In 1954 the Diocese decided that the parish was too small for a full-time rector, and so it was placed under a priest-in-charge.[6] In 1991 the parish was joined with Sutton Bonington creating a united benefice.[6] The current priest-in-charge, Rev. Michale J Brock, is also the priest in charge of the neighbouring parish of Sutton Bonington.[7]

Regular weekly services are held, with the village choir attending on the first Sunday of each month.[7] The Church is kept open for the public during the day on Saturday and Sunday.[7]

St. James' Church is a Grade I Listed medieval church built in the 13th century.[3] Although a church is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, Rev. A. Baylay concludes that "the enumeration of churches in the Domesday Survey was far from complete".[8]

The church has a cruciform plan with a central tower.[9] The original section of the church represents an Early English style of architecture.[8] In 1889 the church was restored using designs by Mr. Weatherley.[8] The cost of the 1889 restoration totalled £2020.[6]

It is believed that the church was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; however, the church was later rededicated to St James.[6]

The nave was added in the 13th century.[6] During the 15th century the walls of the nave were raised,[6] creating an open roof with a lower pitch,[8] windows added later. On a summer excursion in 1910 by Rev. A. Baylay, the C.15th century timber roof was noted for being of “excellent design”, citing it is "one of the best points about the church".[8] Rev. A. Baylay notes the unique method used in raising the roof:[8]

The course followed was, I believe, unique. The walls were raised with a storey of timber work, to which the pendent posts of the new roof were attached. Probably this timber construction was thinner than the stone walls below, and had a set-off outside, covered with lead to keep the rain out of the tops of the walls. A trace of this can be seen on the south wall, towards its eastern end. In the 18th, or late in the 17th century, the outer sides of the timber storey have been faced with brick work (apparently not all of one date) flush with the stone walls below...

At the west end of the nave there is a large five-light window, a group of lancets.[10] The window was constructed in the 13th century, albeit later than the original building.[8]

The font is octagonal in design[6] with tracery panels,[9] and was noted for being of unusual design on Rev. A Baylay's summer excursion in 1910.[8] The font is dated from the 14th century and is constructed out of a single block of stone.[6] During the 1889 restoration the font was repositioned from the centre of the nave to the rear of the nave, below the west window.[6]

The royal coat-of-arms of Charles II located in the nave, dated 1683.

Above the chancel arch, in the nave, are the royal coat-of-arms of Charles II, dated 1683,[8] which were erected by the lord of the manor, Samuel Sanders in 1683.[6] The coat-of-arms is constructed of plaster[11] and is unpainted.[6] The royal coat-of-arms are flanked on the right by the coat-of-arms of Samuel Sanders, and on the left with the coat-of-arms of his wife, Margaret.[6] When permission was granted to restore and repair the church in 1889 the all three coat-of-arms were taken down, they were not re-installed until 1913 during which time some of the plaster was damaged.[6]

The chancel, where Sunday services are now held, is unusually large for its period, almost as long as the nave[6] measuring 39'6" and 17' wide,[10] which was possibly for accommodating visiting monks from Durham.[8] The chancel was added in the 13th century.[6] During the 1889 restoration the chancel roof was replaced and the timber beams were restored; a screen was also placed within the chancel before the altar, however in 1913 the screen was removed.[6] A fire broke out in the chancel roof in 1986 requiring it to be replaced.[6] Restoration began in 1988 and was completed in 1989, the roof was restored using timber partly salvaged from the fire.[6]

Six former rectors are buried within the chancel (see the list of previous clergy).

A gargoyle on the eastern part of the north chancel wall.

The church currently has an Alfred Kirkland two manual pipe organ built around 1900.[12] An earlier organ was originally located in the western end of the nave, however following the building of the north transept, during the 1889 restoration, the organ was then housed there.[6]

The oldest part of the Church is the tower which was built at the start of the 13th century; a broach-spire[9] was soon added afterwards.[8] The church is one of only two churches in Nottinghamshire to have a central tower crowned with a spire (the other being the Church of St. John in Whatton); although the Chapel of St. Mary at Clumber Park also has a central tower with a spire.[13]

A gargoyle on the western part of the north chancel wall.

The church tower houses fours bells dating from 1635. With two bells being cracked by 1887, all four bells were recast in 1897 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough.[6] These four bells were inscribed:[6]

'God save his church'

‘I sweetly toling men do call to taste on meals that feeds the soule’

‘Edward Cotton citizen and merchant tailor of London gave 40 mark to buy this bell’

‘This bell was given to this church and parish by Edward Darling esq. & Susanna his wife’

Due to lack of maintenance the bells could not be rung in the 1950s, and so in 1978 the bells were repaired and rehung by John Taylor & Co.[6]

On the north wall, on the exterior of the chancel, there are three gargoyles.[11] A drainage system for rainwater has been integrated into the gargoyles.

The monument to Anne Ragdale, dated 1768.

The listing of St. James' Church makes reference to five monuments (or memorials) in the church,[3] however earlier historical references, notably John Throsby's 1790 Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire,[14] state there were, previously, a greater number of memorials. In the nave there are a total of three memorials: there is a monument to John Bosworth, dated 1832, another to Elizabeth Cox, dated 1833,[3] and a further memorial to Anne Ragdale, the late wife of the rector John Ragdale, dated 1768.[3] Anne Ragdale's monument consists of an inscription tablet flanked with two fluted pilasters on either side, with a cornice capped by a decorative urn.[3]

Within the chancel there are two further memorials. There is a monument to Frances Willoughbie, dated 1606, decorated with strapwork containing a kneeling female figure at a lectern.[3] Frances Willoughbie, the daughter of William Walkeden, died in 1606, having married first Gilbert Willoughby, and subsequently Peter Columbell, of Barley Dale, Derbyshire.[10] There is another memorial to William and Susanna Willougby, dated 1636, which consists of an inscription; capping the inscription tablet are two kneeling figures.[3]

John Throsby's Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire, published in 1790, refers to the monument of Anne Ragdale in his section on the village. John Throsby makes disapproving remarks on the glowing inscription of the monument:[8]

And a large tablet to the memory of a late rector's wife, who died in 1768. She might deserve a good character; but the flattering inscription, intending to display her virtues, &c. is the most fulsome stuff I ever beheld: When all the goodness and perfections of the CREATOR are ascribed to his creature's, how offensive must it be to him who gave us being? Do the catholics offend us with their images of saints, their crucifixes, and their beautiful scriptural paintings in their places of worship? And should we suffer in our protestant churches, disgraceful inscriptions of mortals, whose characters are given, as it should seem, to vie with that of the ALMIGHTY?--- Within and without, this church bears evident marks of antiquity.