The Tower and Bells

On the outside of the tower is the date 1517, which is when the church building was started, along with John Taylor's initials. The tower is described as 'stubby' and has eight pinnacles. Pinnacles are the architectural ornaments that can be seen at the very top of the tower. 

The Clock
The clock has three faces. The original clock was made by William Rea of Walton in 1794 and the present clock, which was given in memory of William Jones, was installed by Smiths of Derby in 1896. It underwent major restoration in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. In 2017 the clock faces painted and gilded and an automatic winding system was installed making the twice-weekly manual winding of the mechanism unnecessary. 

The Bells
Prior to 2025, at the very top of the tower were eight bells hung on the original oak frame. There are records of bells in St James' in 1533, these being replaced by a ring of six bells in 1739 cast by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester. They were hung on an oak frame which was in place until 2024. 
Two new bells were added in 1895, cast by Mears and Stainbank in London. The bells are rung from long ropes that run from the bells to the ringing chamber, which is above the base of the tower. You can see the chamber from inside the church. When you walk through the main door, enter the nave, turn and look back to the chamber. 
In 2024, a major overhaul of the bell frame took place, removing the original oak frame and replacing it with a new steel frame. Two new bells were also added, making the tower a ring of ten. A training bell was also added to assist new learners when learning to ring.