More information : (SP50504790) St James's Church (1)
The oldest features of the church of Edgcote are the S doorway
and S arcade, which date from the early 13th c. The rest is
Decorated and Perpendicular in style. (2)
A Church of St. James
Stone, load roofs, nave and chancel with parapet. W. tower of 4
stages, diagonal buttresses, battlemonted parapet. Ogee W. door
with crockets and flanking crocketted pinnacle pilasters. The
three upper stages of tower Perpendicular. To R.H. of door is a
Holy water stoup. The tower arch is the whole height of the W.
wall of the nave and has an early C.19 screen with cast iron
'Gothic' railing across top. The nave and chancel are in one
without a chancel arch and have a Perpendicular roof altered and
plastered.
The nave and S. aisle are divided by a Transitional arcade of 3
bays, some of the caps with rough carving. The aisle has three
Early English windows of 2 lights, two on the S. wall and one on
the W. end. The E. window is a large rectangular late
Perpendicular of 4 lights. The S. doorway is Early English with
slender shafts and plain caps supporting the arch. The S. porch
is probably Decorated.
The N. door leads from the nave to the forecourt of Edgcote
House. The chancel has a single piscina on N. and S. walls
flanking the altar. On the N. wall a Perpendicular doorway
leads to a vestry of the same date. The original door with its
ironwork remains. The vestry originally had an upper floor now
removed and on the W. wall a door leads to a stone spiral
staircase with upper door in wall above. The roof remains with
shields on the beams. Adjoing the vestry is a C.18 family pew
with flat lintel supported on a slender central wood Doric
column. It has oak panelled front, dada and seats.
On the S. sido of the chancel are late C.18 choir seats, the
pulpit and desk are of the same date, and the box pews in the
nave are also late C.18. The windows on the S. wall of the S.
aisle have C.16 and earlier heraldic glass.
Monuments
In the nave on N. wall, a wall monument to Richard Chauncy, 1760,
the builder of the present Edgcote House. A tablet with scroll
pediment and central urn and a bust bracketted on a cartouche of
arms at base. Michael Rysbrack, sculp..
In the S. aisle.
1. An alabaster altar tomb with two recumbent effigies to Richard
Chauncy, d. 1565, and his wife Joan, d. 1571. Panelled sides to
tombe with coats of arms
2. A similar tombe to Toby Chauncy and two wives. Coats of arms
at onds divided by balustrade pilasters. The N. side of the tomb
has figures of three sons, two daughters and four babies.
3. On S. wall. Wall panel with pediment and urns, bracketted base
and cartouche on apron. To William Chauncy, d. 1644, but not
erected until C.18 M. Rysbrack sculp..
4. Toby Chauncy, 1662, and Bridget, his wife, 1696. a large panel
surrounded by double oared architraves the outer with scroll foot
with swags of fruit and flowers at sides, entablature broken
forward with architrave carried up into frieze, the centre part
with segmental pediment and large coat of arms. Panelled apron
with swags and cartouche and carved base.
5. Toby Chauncy, 1724.
An arched panel with springers and key block, flanked by fluted
Ionic pilasters supporting entablature. Secondary broken
entablature above with open segmental pediment, large central
cartouche and urns at sides. Carved apron below.
6. To R.H. of S. door. To Richard Chauncy, 1734, his wife 1701,
and his brother, William 1717.
A panel with broken pediment and urn, apron with cartouche, M.
Rysbrack, sculp..
7. Mid C.18, no dates. To Toby, Willis and Bridget, children of
Toby Chauncy and his 2nd wife, Joanna. Panel broken back at
sides, cornice broken scroll pediment with central crost.
Panelled apron and cartouche M. Rysbrack, sculp..
8. On W. wall. White marble double tablet with yellow and black
marble surround, cornice, honeysuckle pediment and semi-circular
apron. Early C.19 and commemorating the following-
Mary, wife of William Chauncy, 1779
William Henry Chauncy, 1788
Elizabeth, wife of last, 1803
Elizabeth Chauncy, 1766
Toby Chauncy, 1775
Ann Maria Chauncy, 1795. (3)
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