St James' Church, Jacobstow

St James’ Church stands in the quiet village of Jacobstow in Cornwall. It is a Grade I listed parish church of the Church of England. The earliest records mention the church in the 13th century. In 1270 the Bishop admitted Richard de Cetrefort to the rectory. The church was taxed at £6 in the taxation of Pope Nicholas IV. Around 1297 the chaplain William was imprisoned for refusing to give half his income to the Crown. The present building dates from the 15th century. In 1886 architect Otho Bathurst Peter restored the chancel and nave roof at a cost of £700. The windows were repaired and reglazed, the floors relaid, and the stonework cleaned and repointed. Two new windows were inserted in the chancel. The Bishop of Truro reopened the church on 4 August 1886. The church belongs to a joint parish with six other churches across the area. Its organ was built by J Trudgman & Son. Visitors find a peaceful medieval building with restored Victorian details. The chancel walls stand on their old lines, and the tiled floors run throughout. The stonework and windows show careful repair. The village setting adds to the calm atmosphere.