Church of St James, Southstoke

The Church of St James stands in the small village of Southstoke in Somerset. Built in the 12th century, it is an Anglican parish church dedicated to St James the Great. The building has Grade II* listed status, recognising its national importance. Its nave still shows the original Norman north door, while the chancel and south aisle were rebuilt in the 1840s and 1850s. Pevsner described the tower as Low Perp, with zigzag carving and rosettes on the arch. The church is worth visiting for its well-preserved Norman doorway and later medieval features. Pevsner noted the patterned columns, lozenge designs and chip-carved lintel in the doorway. Inside, the polygonal stone pulpit probably dates from the Perpendicular period. The church plate includes an Elizabethan chalice and a paten by Thomas Parr dated 1700. It belongs to the benefice of Combe Down with Monkton Combe and Southstoke. A visitor finds a quiet country church with clear medieval and Victorian layers. The Norman north door opens into a nave that still feels ancient. The rebuilt chancel and south aisle show 19th-century craftsmanship. The polygonal pulpit stands against one wall, and the Elizabethan chalice and Thomas Parr’s paten rest in the sanctuary. The low Perp tower rises above the village rooftops, marking the church’s place in the landscape.