St. James the Great Revisited

A view of the nave at the church of St. James the Great

After the Sheffield U3A Geology Group visit to the Porter Valley, on 21st November, I thought that the extended period of exploration that I had enjoyed since the Heritage Open Days at St. Helen’s church in Treeton would at last come to end. 

The lopsided Early English Gothic tower arch

With the record breaking summer of 2018 having turned into an Indian summer, I had more than made up for a year of relative inactivity compared to my investigation of mediaeval churches in and around South Yorkshire, back in 2016. 

A view of the arcades from the north aisle

My next day out coincided with a coffee morning at the church of St. James the Great in Norton. I had visited this church twice before, once when it was closed and I was only able to survey its exterior and a year later to see its interior, which coincided with one of the Farmers' Markets that are regularly held here. 

The chancel

On this occasion I had the opportunity to look a bit more closely at the various details, especially in the Blythe Chapel, where Magnesian Limestone has been used as general walling stone for its external fabric and dressings in its interior – particularly for the piscina. 

The piscina is carved from dolomitic limestone

Here, I was also able to take a better look at the details of the alabaster tomb to William and Saffrey Blythe and to the finely inscribed grave slabs that can be seen on its floor, including the memorial to William Selioke and his wife Joyce. 

The memorial to William Selioke and his wife

Without closely investigating the various stones with tools that I normally use when employed as a professional geologist – hydrochloric acid, a steel knife and a hand lens – I could only make an educated guess as to their provenance. 

A detail of the tomb of William and Saffrey Blythe

In hindsight, I have discovered that many Norman fonts that I have seen, and which I had assumed to be made of Magnesian Limestone, are actually made from Caen stone – a soft, easily carved Jurassic limestone from Normandy, which was imported in vast amounts to build cathedrals and abbeys after the Norman Conquest in 1066. 

A detail of the font

The font dates to c.1190 and judging by its pale colour, which contrasts with the yellowish Magnesian Limestone used in the walling of the chancel, this could easily be made of Caen stone and I will investigate further on my next visit.

A detail of the salamander on the font