Church Heritage Record 627425

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Leckhampstead: St James

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Leckhampstead: St James
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Church
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

627425
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

Oxford
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Berkshire
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

St. James, Leckhampstead

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is a Grade II* Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

The church is not in a Conservation Area

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Victorian/Pre-WWI

Exterior Image

Exterior image of Leckhampstead, St James 627425
Caption:

603242 

Exterior image of Leckhampstead, St James 627425
Description:

It seems to be the wrong photograph. Provided coordinates come up with another church on geograph.org.uk

Photo of St James from the southwest, from inside the churchyard
Year / Date:

2011, April 06

2016
Copyright:

Keltek Trust

Archbishops' Council
Originator:

Keltek Trust

Lisa McIntyre

Summary Description

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The church of St James on Leckhampstead is by SS Teulon, and was consecrated on 1860. It replaced a medieval chapel, now demolished, that was located elsewhere in the village, and has some artefacts from that earlier chapel - the most significant of which is the Norman font.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is open for worship.
The church is open to visitors daily throughout the year. There is no dedicated parking, but onstreet parking is possible.
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

https://stjamespcc.com/

Sources and Further Information

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Lisa McIntyre (2016) Exterior image of Leckhampstead, St James 627425 [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Exterior image of Leckhampstead, St James 627425
Basher Eyre (2014, March 21) Interior image of 627425 Leckhampstead, St James [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Interior image of 627425  Leckhampstead, St James
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/174/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church
CWGC (2016) Commonwealth War Graves Commission CWGC Unique File Reference Number: 10731 [Bibliography/Data]
Number of War Graves: 1
ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~101623~115400 [Archive/Graphic material]

Perspective

ICBS File Number - 05233

Coverage - 1857-1861

Created by ?TEULON, Samuel Sanders: b. 1812 - d. 1873 of London

ICBS (1817-1989) Incorporated Church Building Society Archive https://images.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/luna/servlet/detail/LPLIBLPL~34~34~101632~115401 [Archive/Graphic material]

Groundplan

ICBS File Number - 05233

Coverage - 1857-1861

Created by TEULON, Samuel Sanders: b. 1812 - d. 1873 of London

Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 1 Bell [Archive/Index]
1 Bell

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: SU 439 759

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

Unitary Authority:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

West Berkshire

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

The village of Leckhampstead is first recorded in 815 AD as Leckhamstede and later Lecanestede in the Domesday Book, the village appears to have been named after ‘the place where leeks grow’ or ‘leek homestead’. The village is within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and surrounded by agricultural land. The church is a prominent feature on the southern approach to the village; though it is built from local materials its dimensions and massing is unique within a village of small and fairly low buildings. The church is predominantly viewed from the south and west, though there are also publicly accessible viewpoints to the north and east, with the result that there is no real “rear” elevation. The churchyard is bounded to the west by a low flint, brick and stone wall with a decorative wrought iron over arch and lantern. The north, east and southern boundaries are predominantly hedged.

Church Plan

Work in progress - can you help?

Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

Work in progress - can you help?

Dimensions

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?

Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

228 m2

Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

A pre-Conquest church dedicated to St Edmund was located to the east of village at what is now Chapel Farm, Hill Green. This church was attached to the parish of Chieveley as a chapel from 1308. The old church was pulled down in 1859 when the vicar of Chieveley, John Robinson, paid for the building of a new church with 250 free sittings in the centre of the village. The new church was designed by Samuel Sanders Teulon and incorporated some of the fittings from the old church. The foundation stone was laid on 3rd May 1859 and the church was consecrated on 30th October 1860. Original sketches by Samuel Sanders Teulon show that the church has changed very little from his original concept, the most notable difference being necessary alterations to reduce and stabilise the bell tower over the chancel, and to the cross at the west end of the nave, carried out during restoration in 1949. 

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

All of the external features of the building, with the exception of the 1954 west bellcote, date to Teulon’s original building. The result is a uniform series of wall and decorative treatments: the walls are in flint, with decorative banding courses in brick, as are the quoins and window dressings. Decorative limestone blocks are inserted wherever the banding courses meet a vertical dressing or quoin; the window tracery too is in limestone. All the roofs are in clay tiles. 

The north elevation of the church is close to the north boundary and is characterised by the lean-to vestry directly beneath Teulon’s remarkable spheric triangular north crossing window. To the west of this are three two-light Pointed windows to the nave, with simple Gothic tracery but owing little to any medieval precedent.

The south elevation is that best known publicly, with the south porch as the only public entrance to the building and the only access to the churchyard passing by it. Like the north elevation, Teulon’s crossing and crossing window is a striking feature, with the small turret rising behind it.

The east elevation has some of the most striking of Teulon’s work at Leckhampstead, with an elaborate three light east window in the Perpendicular style framed by the steep chancel roof and the crossing gables beyond.

The only elevation that directly faces the main street through the village, the west end is dominated by Teulon’s four light nave west window, and by his striking decorative treatment of the wall. The window is of four lights, and in what would have doubtless been considered by contemporaries a modern gothic style - the mouldings to the tracery are simple, and not strictly following any single historic precedent.

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Who:
S.S. Teulon
Role:
Architect
From:
01 Jan 1858
To:
31 Dec 1860
Contribution:
Design architect
Who:
Peter Scott & Partners
Role:
Architect / Surveyor ICM55
From:
To:
Contribution:

Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

Work in progress - can you help?

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Collapse Building MaterialsBuilding Materials
FLINT (19th Century)

Interior Image

Interior image of 627425  Leckhampstead, St James
Caption:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Interior image of 627425 Leckhampstead, St James
Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Photograph of the interior of Leckhampstead, St James
Year / Date:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
2014, March 21
Copyright:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Basher Eyre
Originator:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Basher Eyre

Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The chancel occupies the easternmost bay of the nave, under the crossing, as well as the eastern protrusion of the building that would normally be termed the chancel. The strident polychromy continues in the four bay nave, with diaper patterning to the west and north walls, and decorative roundels to the spandrels of the south arcade. The polychromy continues in the small south aisle , with the south wall a scaled down copy of the north, and the east wall patterning reproducing that of the chancel around its trefoil window. The east and west windows are of complementary trefoil design, adding symmetry to the aisle.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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Collapse Internal Fixtures and FittingsInternal Fixtures and Fittings
BELL (1 of 1)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

Work in progress - can you help?

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: SU 439 759

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

Work in progress - can you help?

Ecological Designations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Church.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Church.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Church.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

The church has no evidence of bats

Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The churchyard has war graves.

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Church.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Church.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Church

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

Work in progress - can you help?

Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Fabric Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Fabric Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Interior Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Interior Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
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Church Renewables

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Open the map of church renewable installations
Solar PV Panels:

This information forms part of the Shrinking the Footprint project.

No
Solar Thermal Panels:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Bio Mass:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Air Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Ground Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Wind Turbine:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
EV Car Charging:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Unknown

Species Summary

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

CategoryTotal species recorded to date
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED 38
Total number of animal species 0
Total number of plant species 38
Total number of mammal species 0
Total number of birds 0
Total number of amphibian and reptile species 0
Total number of invertebrate species 0
Total number of fungi species 0
Total number of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) 0
Total number of ferns 0
Total number of flowering plants 35
Total number of Gymnosperm and Ginkgo 3

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

If any of the following species have been seen close to the Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

Refresh
WhoActionWhen
Liz KitchAdded QI inspectionMon 12 Sep 2022 15:07:40
Liz KitchCreated asset source linkMon 12 Sep 2022 15:07:40
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionWed 03 Nov 2021 10:15:59
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionWed 03 Nov 2021 10:13:25
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionWed 03 Nov 2021 10:10:40
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Location and Setting DescriptionWed 03 Nov 2021 10:08:13
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionWed 03 Nov 2021 10:06:34
Liz KitchAdded QI inspectionThu 05 Mar 2020 13:55:59
Liz KitchCreated asset source linkThu 05 Mar 2020 13:55:59
Joseph EldersAdded image of the interior of the buildingThu 30 May 2019 16:02:29
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