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Halloughton St James

Archaeology

Exterior

View from south-east

A considerable amount of rebuilding has taken place and it appears that the majority of the nave and the north and south side walls of the chancel were reconstructed in 1879-82 by Ewan Christian.

Bell turret

Nave, east chancel and bell turret all coped with single ridge crosses to all but west nave. Single ashlar stack to the vestry. West bell turret, nave, south porch, chancel and north vestry. The bell turret has an arched opening with single circular panel over.

The west wall has a single central buttress flanked by single tall lancets with continuous hood mould and label stops. The north nave has a single tall lancet with single window with two arched and cusped lights under a flat arch to the left and further left a single similar lancet.

13th century lancet windows

The north wall of the chancel has a single rectangular light. The lean-to vestry with coped east and west walls has in the east wall a single 2-light window being blind above impost level. The east wall of the chancel is part of dressed coursed rubble is set on a shallow chamfered plinth and has two 13th-century style tall lancets with hood moulds and label stops. A sill band extends under. The south wall of the chancel has a central pointed chamfered arched doorway flanked by single lancets.

The south wall of the nave has a single window with 2 arched and cusped lights and tracery under a flat arch, to the left is a single lancet. The gabled and coped porch with single ridge cross has a moulded arched entrance with hood mould and label stops. There is an inner 13th century round arched doorway with a hood mould; probably re-inserted at the time of the 19th century restoration.

Interior

Chancel arch

Double chamfered chancel arch.

North chancel with pointed chamfered arched doorway to vestry.

Medieval Cross Slabs

Cross-slab fragment 2

Cross-slab fragment 3

The four slab fragments are all set in the external face of the south wall of the chancel, from west to east: all have incised designs.

(1) Lower part of slab: cross shaft rising from semicircular mount.

(2) Upper part of slab: cross pate with disc at top of shaft.

(3) Fragment of what must have been quite an elaborate slab, with what looks like the lower fleur-de-lys terminal of a cross head, a knop at the top of a cross shaft from which other fleur-de-lys spring, and parts of petalled discs or petalled rosettes to each side.

(4) Cross shaft only.

Descriptions and drawings of the cross slabs courtesy of Peter Ryder.

Technical summary

Timbers and roofs

Bellframe

A western bellcote of stone was constructed in 1879-1882. Elphick type 'A'; Pickford Group 9.A.

Not scheduled for preservation Grade 5.

Walls

Excavations and potential for survival of below-ground archaeology

There have been no known archaeological excavations.

The fabric dates mainly from 1879-82 with some fragmentary areas of 13th century work. Apart from a large section of the the east wall of the chancel the fabric was largely rebuilt in a major restoration of 1879-82. It is expected that below-ground stratigraphy will be very heavily disturbed in the area of the nave and chancel although these areas may retain remnants of medieval deposits at depth.

The standing fabric was substantially rebuilt in 1879-82 with the exception of the east wall. The south doorway to the nave appears to be reused from the medieval church.

The churchyard is approximately square, with the church positioned towards the western end. Burials appear to be concentrated on the south side.

The overall potential for the survival of below-ground archaeology in the churchyard, is considered to be MODERATE-HIGH, comprising mainly burials of all periods, and much evidence of restoration and rebuilding in the 19th century. Below the present interior floors of the heavily restored, and largely rebuilt, nave and chancel it is considered to be LOW-MODERATE. The standing fabric of the church is almost all 19th century rebuilding and the potential for surviving medieval archaeology in the standing fabric is considered to be LOW except for the east wall which is MODERATE and probably 13th century.

Exterior: Burial numbers expected to be low-average; this has never been a large settlement and burials may have taken place at nearby Southwell in the medieval period.

Interior: Stratigraphy under the nave and chancel is likely to be very heavily disturbed late 19th century rebuilding layers but with the possibility of some survival of medieval deposits beneath.