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Monument details

Summary

Remains of St James's Church GII Listed also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Originally a Norman building but restored in tile in the 19th century. Located on Castle Hill Road, Dover. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
CASTLE HILL ROAD Remains of St James's Church GII Listed also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Originally a Norman building but restored in tile in the 19th century. There is a Norman zigzag arch and the side elevation, built of flints, has a blocked entrance filled with Norman fragments. The rest of the church is of Caen stone, with stone quoins. There is a 14th century addition on the South side of the Nave which was used until 1851 as a Court house for the Chancery and Admiralty Courts of the Cinque Ports, and for the Court of Lodemanage. The last Court of Lodemanage was held by the Duke of Wellington here in 1851. The seat and bench used by the Duke of Wellington and the Barons of the Cinque Ports have been transferred to St Mary's Church. This building was not used as a church since the middle of the C19 when the garrison Church in the Castle was restored. The building was very badly damaged by shelling from the French coast during the last war.
Remains of St. James's Church and White Horse Inn form a group.
Listing NGR: TR3226141553 (1-2)

The ruins are kept in a good state of repair. Enough is preserved to show that Dover had a second sizeable early 12th century church, this one with a central tower between chancel and nave, but no transepts. A tablet erected in 1935, and now removed to St. Mary's Parish Church, Dover, states that the Vestry adjoining the church of St. James of Warden Down was for about 600 years up to the latter half of the 19th century used as a Court House by the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports for the exercise of his jurisdiction in Chancery and Admiralty proceedings and in the Court of Lodemanage. (3)

Prior to the 19th century restoration of the church it had fallen into a dilapidated condition, and much of the Norman work within it had been removed or covered. Much of the restoration work, which was carried out by Talbot Bury, was to uncover and consolidate the remaining fragments of Norman architectural detail. (4)

From the Register of Scheduled Monuments:

Additions and alterations 14th century. Whole church was restored in the 19th century, the west doorway having been completely reconstructed. Twice badly damaged by enemy action during the war. The West and North walls Remain standing with part of the crossing.External walls of flint, random stone and tile with various Victorian repairs. East end stands to 20 feet. South wall tapers from 20 feet to 6 feet at west end. North wall intact to roof plate in chancel. Beyond chancel is area of former tower with 2 light Norman window. Nave continues at same height with 3 round headed windows, west end continues to same height. South wall is 20 feet at extreme west tapering to 11 feet. No roof.(5)

From the National Heritage List for England:

Despite later alterations and bomb damage, St James’ Church survives well with a considerable amount of upstanding medieval fabric. It includes some significant architectural details such as the Norman round-headed doorway in the west wall and the rounded windows. The site will contain below-ground archaeological and environmental information relating to the construction, use and history of the church.

The monument includes a medieval church surviving as upstanding and below-ground remains. It is situated at the foot of Castle Hill Road, south-west of Dover Castle near the seafront. The church is constructed of flint, Caen stone and tile with stone quoins. It was built in the 12th century with alterations and additions made in the 14th century and the 19th century. The church was originally cruciform in plan with a central tower. The walls are up to several metres high in places but elsewhere only survive as consolidated stone foundations. The west wall has a fine Norman round-headed doorway with zigzag pattern. The nave includes three rounded windows and there is a Norman two-light window beyond the chancel in the area of the former tower. The east end is approached via four steps. In the north side of the church is a blocked doorway with scallop capitals and twisted shafts. On the south side of the nave is a 14th century addition. This was used, until 1851, as a Court house for the Chancery and Admiralty Courts of the Cinque Ports, and for the Court of Lodemanage. The last Court of Lodemanage was held by the Duke of Wellington in 1851. St James’ Church was damaged by shelling from the French coast during the Second World War.The upstanding remains are Grade II listed. (6)

A note was made about the Church being used as the Lord Wardens Court: 'Master William Holyngbroke and his servants to the Parliament at Westminster, or to the Lord Warden's court in old St. James's Church at Dover' (7)

Numerous historic cartographic sources depict the location of this Medieval chuch, including that by Thomas Miles dating to 1580 (8), Thomas Digges dating to 1581 (9) John Symonds dating to 1583-1584 (10) William Eldred dating to 1631 (11) and 1641 (12) Foquet dating to 1737 (13) as well as the OS 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions (14-17) and the Dover tithe map which dates to 1843. (18)

The GIS polygon associated with this record does not represent the full extent or curtilage of the listed building but merely defines the outline of the building. For further information on the extent of the listed building please contact Dover District Council.

<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> AM Eng and Wales 1961 59 (OS Card Reference). SKE33015.

<2> Ancient monuments in England and Wales : list prepared by the Ministry of Works, corrected to 31st December 1960, AM Eng and Wales 1961 59 (Unspecified Type). SWX20568.

<3> John Newman, 1969, The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent, Bldgs of Eng NE and E Kent 1983 288 (J Newman) (Monograph). SKE7874.

<4> Edward Knocker, 1884, Journal of the British Archaeological Association - The Church of St. James, Dover. Vol. 40, JBAA 40 1884 394-99 (E Knocker) (Article in serial). SKE32097.

<5> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<6> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

<7> Edward Bacheler Walker, 1880, Archaeologia Cantiana: The town and port of New Romney. Vol. 13 (Article in serial). SKE31796.

<8> Thomas Miles, 1580, Proposal for Dover Harbour (Map). SKE31983.

<9> Thomas Digges, 1581, The State of Dover Haven (Map). SKE31984.

<10> John Symonds, 1583-1584, Dover Harbour (Map). SKE32347.

<11> William Eldred (?), 1631, Plan of lands belonging to the Priory and now to Master Buffkyn (Map). SKE31988.

<12> William Eldred, 1641, The Platt of Dover Castle Towne and Harbor (Map). SKE31804.

<13> J. Foquet, 1737, Plan of the town, harbour and fortifications of Dover (Map). SKE31991.

<14> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 1st edition 1862-1875): Landmark Epoch 1 (Map). SKE30964.

<15> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 2nd Edition, 1897-1900): Landmark Epoch 2 (Map). SKE30965.

<16> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 4th Edition, 1929-1952) (Map). SKE30967.

<17> Landmark, 1907-1923, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 3rd Edition, 1907-1923) (Map). SKE30966.

<18> 1843, Tithe Map Dover 1843 (OS Card Reference). SKE50577.

Sources and further reading

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