St James

The church dates from 1852. Although the building is Victorian, many ancient features have been transferred or built into the fabric. Dark 'horsebox' pews and three altars in the church; the main altar is in the sanctuary in the east, the two others are in the nave, Lady Chapel in the northeast and the Ruxley chapel in the southeast. 

Major memorials in the church are to: William Wiffin who died in 1636. Octavia Lady Ellenborough was sculptured by Chantry and equal to many in Westminster Abbey. 

The east window, which is the Glorified Christ surrounded by Apostles, was replaced in 1952 as the original was destroyed by bombs during the war. The west window has five lower panels: the upper panels being shaped by the tracery. The general theme is Te Deum Laudamus. In the northeast aisle (Lady Chapel) the window has three panels of 'The Nativity' and was erected in 1953. The window of the southeast aisle (the Ruxley Chapel) having three lower panels, the centre showing the Patron Saint of the church, St James, the left-hand panel a view of the church, and the right a view of the 'Five Arches' bridge over the River Cray. 

The fronts of the choir stalls are beautifully carved with ornamental and pictorial panels. The four pictorial panels, two on each side, represent scenes of the Nativity; they are 'The visit of the Virgin to her cousin Elizabeth', 'Nativity scene', 'The visit of the Magi' and 'the Presentation of Christ in the Temple'. There is also an ornamental panel in front of the clergy stall. Behind the choir stalls on the North side is a mediaeval carving having nine panels being the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. In the Sanctuary the carved reredos is of Flemish origin of the 15th or 16th century and may have been carved by a pupil of Albrecht Durer. Beautifully carved on dark oak, the left-hand panel is an Epiphany scene and the righthand panel the Flight into Egypt.

In the churchyard is a Celtic cross in memory of the fallen during wars 1914-18 and 1939-45.