St James' church, Little Dalby lies at the top of the hill above the village, involving a considerable uphill walk - a situation much more convenient for the Hall than the village!
This isolated church is located at least 1.5 miles from the next town of Pickwell to the south west. Although there are houses nearby (about a dozen or so), the population of Little Dalby is just 54 (as of 2011 census), and the church is surrounded mostly by farmland of the Earnest Cook Trust.
"The Little Dalby Estate, three miles south of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is the Trust’s largest and, in many ways, its most complete estate. Extending to 5,600 acres, the estate was purchased in two parts by Ernest Cook, the northern half from the Burns Harttop family in 1938 and the southern half from Brasenose College in 1940. A further 480 acres comprising Grange Farm, Leesthorpe was purchased in 1977 with an additional 280 acres forming Jericho Farm being purchased in 2000.
The principal house, Little Dalby Hall, is relatively small and compact following extensive demolition after the war and subsequent modernisation. The house is surrounded by parkland and grassland and is in a most attractive area of high Leicestershire; outside this inner ring the heavy soil is, thanks to modern and powerful machinery, highly productive wheat land.
Following the Trustees’ policy of farm amalgamation and its desire to encourage the policy of family succession, there are currently five farming tenants on the estate from an original 19 holdings in 1952. Up until 1982 a number of farm houses and cottages were sold off the estate but, with the change in housing legislation, the Trustees resisted the temptation to sell off further surplus farm houses and cottages. Over the past 25 years, the properties have been modernised and improved to provide an important source of income. There are now 37 let houses and cottages on the estate.
The Little Dalby Estate was the pioneer of the Trustees’ policy of establishing in-hand farmers’ shoots on the estates in conjunction with the farm tenants; the success of the Dalby shoot is helped by their enthusiasm.
Nearly one-third of the estate is now within the Countryside Stewardship or Higher Level Schemes (schemes which help safeguard the environment) covering the central and southern parts of the estate around Rise Hill and Burrough Hill, together with one organic dairy farm.
The new wetland area of the River Eye (an important Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the adjoining land continues to be affected by the Melton Mowbray Flood Alleviation Scheme and the whole of the central and northern part of the estate is within the River Eye Catchment Sensitive Farming Scheme.
The Trustees’ policy of encouraging appropriate public access was first started in 1974 on the Little Dalby Estate with the establishment of the permissive path from Little Dalby to the Burrough on the Hill Iron Age fort, a country park let by ECT to Leicestershire County Council.
Much of the local footpath network is featured in nationally available guide books."
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"With aisles and transepts on both sides, the church is an impressive building for the size of the village it serves.
As seen today, it is very much a Victorian creation, being much dilapidated before a virtually complete rebuilding in 1851-2. The church's own information leaflet records only the 13th century nave arcades and the Perpendicular clerestory as being retained from the old church. The body of the church is an attractive mix of orange ironstone and limestone dressings. Much of the rebuilding was done in quite ornate Decorated period style, of particular note being the north doorway with a profusion of foliage carved very much in the style of Southwell Minster.
There is similar foliage carving in the stops of the arcade arches inside, which may be original 13th century work. One column on each side of the nave has typical nail-head decoration.
The nave is relatively narrow and feels impressively tall, this being emphasised by extended wall struts, themselves resting on a series of full length angels, almost life size.
Interior fittings are almost entirely contemporary with the rebuilding. This includes a complete set of relatively plain pews but with ballflower decoration on the top rails, and elaborate 3-seat sedilia and piscina in the chancel, and a fine font.
The church is Listed Grade II*."
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