History

Staple's Church

St. James The Great

Page 2

The Long Nave:

�This has a 'king-post' type of open timber roof with eight massive tie-beams.� The sense of spaciousness and length was enhanced in 1951, when an over-ornate raredos was removed, together with the chancel screen and some high-backed stalls in the sanctuary.

Niches & Windows:

The East window is late 13th century and forms a fine raredos for the high alter.� � In the East wall there is a small aumbry, and in the South wall of the sanctuary there is a piscina, slightly scalloped.� Near the floor on the North side of the chancel, close to the vestry door, there is a small niche, thought to be the remains of a Pre-Reformation Easter Sepulchre.� Behind the priest's stall, to the right of the chancel step, is a 13th century Low side window of lancet type, sometimes referred to as a Leper window'.� Other windows date from the fourteenth century onwards.

The North Aisle:

This was added to the main building in the fifteenth century, and some of its memorial plaques show that� there are vaults beneath the floor.� The Lynch Chapel was built a little earlier, and contains monuments to prominent members of that family, which lived for generations at Groves, but have long since left these parts.

The Organ:

The present organ was donated to the church by local residents Mr & Mrs Burges.� This replaced an organ which had been brought to Staple Church from Fredville Park, Nonnington after the First World War.� (Which itself replaced an even earlier American organ).

Outside The Church:

There is much carving to be seen on the North side, including two animal gargoyles high up on the tower.� Near the South-West corner of the tower are horizontal stones, providing evidence of the Saxon method of 'Long & Short' masonry.� The South wall of the Nave is Norman; about 1100 A.D., and on the outside of the Low side window are several Scratch Dials, though none very clear.

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