Editing Radley (section)

==Parish church==
The [[Church of England parish church]] of [[James, son of Zebedee|Saint James the Great]] was built in about 1290.<ref name="Page">{{harvnb|Page|Ditchfield|1924|pp=410–416}}</ref> The church is built of stone, but unusually its roof is supported by wooden pillars installed by a [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[Abbots of Abingdon|Abbot of Abingdon]], who was told in a vision to ''"seek [them] in the forest"''.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} The present south [[Aisle#Architecture|aisle]] dates from the 14th century but the [[chancel]], [[nave]] and [[bell tower]] were rebuilt in the 15th century.<ref name=Page/> The windows contain Royal [[heraldry|heraldic]] [[stained glass]] from the latter part of the 15th century and from the [[Tudor period]]. In the tower is a stained-glass portrait believed to represent [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radleyvillage.org.uk/institutions/church.html |title=Radley community website: Radley Parish Church |publisher=Radleyvillage.org.uk |access-date=25 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912051707/http://www.radleyvillage.org.uk/institutions/church.html |archive-date=12 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The church is missing both its north aisle and [[transept]], which were destroyed during the [[English Civil War|Civil War]].<ref name=Page/> The south doorway is 15th century, but an inscription on the present door states that it was made in 1656.<ref name="EH-church">{{NHLE |num= 1048324 |desc=Church of St James |access-date=12 August 2012}}</ref> In the chancel, there is a [[Renaissance]] style [[English church monuments|monument]] to the [[lord of the manor]], Sir William [[Stonhouse Baronets#Stonhouse baronets, of Radley (1628)|Stonehouse]] (died 1632), made by [[Nicholas Stone]].{{sfn|Pevsner|1966|p=196}} The canopy over the [[pulpit]] is said to have originally stood behind the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]]'s chair in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]{{sfn|Pevsner|1966|p=196}} and was given to the church by a local man, Speaker [[William Lenthall]], in 1643.<ref name=Page/> If so, it is the canopy from under which [[Roundhead|Parliamentarian]] soldiers dragged Lenthall at the end of the [[Long Parliament]]. St. James' is a [[Listed building#Categories of listed building|Grade II* listed building]].<ref name=EH-church/>

The tower has a [[Change ringing|ring]] of six bells.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://onb.org.uk/live/towers/index.html |title=Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, Old North Berkshire Branch |publisher=Onb.org.uk |date=2010-02-17 |access-date=25 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225173231/http://onb.org.uk/live/towers/index.html |archive-date=25 December 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Abel [[Rudhall of Gloucester]] cast five of them including the tenor in 1754.<ref name=Page/><ref name="Dove">{{cite web |url= http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?searchString=Radley&Submit=+Go+&DoveID=RADLEY |last=Davies |first=Peter |title=Radley S James Gt |work=[[Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers]] |publisher=[[Central Council for Church Bell Ringers]] |date=22 February 2010 |access-date=12 August 2012}}</ref> Mears and Stainbank of the [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]] cast the present treble bell in 1952.<ref name=Dove/> St. James' also has a [[Church bell#Types|Sanctus bell]] that Henry I Knight of [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] cast in 1617.<ref name=Dove/>  The former [[vicarage]] next to the church was built in the 15th century.<ref name=Page/> Past incumbents of the parish have included the future bishops [[Charles Gore]] (1893–95) and James Nash (1895–98).