From 1060 ish this village was in the possession of the Abbey of St Denis in Paris. A small priory was set up here, populated by monks from France, who stayed until Henry the 5th decided, in 1414, to seize what were then known as Alien Priories.

In 1467 the Manor fell to Tewksbury Abbey, until the dissolution, when the manor was leased, in two separate portions, to Hugh Westwood of Chedworth, the founder of Northleach grammar school and of the almshouses at Bibury.

The church of St. James the Great was called St. Katherine’s in the late 13th century, St. Dennis’s in the 18th, and was thought to have once borne an invocation to St. Kenelm. The tower has a top section that is very obviously narrower than the rest, added probably in the 15th century, at which time they blocked in the north bell opening.

Although the third stage is narrower than those below it, the extra weight thus placed on the lower stages distorted the tower arches. Though the western arch survived, the eastern arch was rebuilt. It may have been the distortion of the tower that necessitated the rebuilding of the chancel roof. The corbel-heads that apparently came from the chancel were used to support the new flat, parapeted roof of the nave.

The restorations in 1848 and again by the famous Waller and Son in 1891 dramatically changed the feel of the church and probably provided most of the furnishings.

There’s a plain Norman tub-shaped font, with a 15th century octagonal pedestal.