St. James’ Church, Church Street, Poole. NGR: SZ00841 90438. 50.7136. -1.9896, Lead author: JT

​The medieval parish church of Poole was rebuilt in 1819-21 and renovated in 1893, when it was re-seated. The exterior is all one stone – the middle Purbeck Freestone ashlar. In detail, the stone shows several textures, but very few possible fossils. The interior retains all the original monuments, though the mahogany font is 1820, and the reredos from St. Paul’s church is placed here after that church’s demolition. A feature of the interior is the pine columns in the nave, as these are believed to have come from Trinity, Newfoundland.
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1. The entrance to St. James is through the west tower, which has a dolphin as a weather-vane.
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2. The blocks of Purbeck Freestone include fine micrite, the hollows where fossils have been washed out, and some small hard oval-shaped ostracods.
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3. All the blocks of Freestone are approximately 40cm x 30cm. Ostracods stand proud of the surface in some blocks.
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3. The eastern end of St. James.
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4. Windows in the south wall.
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6. Columns in the nave are of pine from Trinity, Newfoundland.
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7. On each side are galleries supported by the columns.
Text and images by Jo Thomas. 1.6.2018