St James' Church, Cooling, Medieval church in Cooling, England
The stone structure features a nave with a south porch, a chancel with a south vestry, and a west tower built with ragstone and flint materials.
Construction of St James' Church began in 1250, with the upper portion of the tower added around 1400 during the medieval architectural development period.
The churchyard gained recognition as the setting that inspired Charles Dickens for the opening chapter of his novel Great Expectations featuring the character Pip.
The Churches Conservation Trust maintains the building, which remains open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM for visitors to explore its medieval architecture.
The interior of the vestry displays hundreds of cockle shells covering its walls, symbolizing connections to pilgrims who traveled to Santiago de Compostela.
Location: Cooling
Inception: 13 century
Architectural style: Gothic architecture
Website: http://visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/St-James-Church-Cooling-Kent
GPS coordinates: 51.45530,0.52640
Latest update: March 9, 2025 08:44
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