Church of St James the Great, Darlington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St James the Great, Darlington |
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Church of St James the Great, Darlington
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| 54°31′59″N 1°32′19″W / 54.53292°N 1.53868°W | |
| Location | Allen Street, Albert Hill, Darlington, DL1 2LD |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 30 August 1876 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | Ross and Lamb, Darlington |
| Groundbreaking | 14 April 1875 |
| Completed | 30 August 1876 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 104 feet (32 m) |
| Nave width | 21 feet (6.4 m) |
| Spire height | 148 feet (45 m) (planned) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. James, Albert Hill |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Auckland |
| Diocese | Diocese of Durham |
The Church of St James the Great is a church in Darlington, County Durham, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is also a grade II listed building, which means it is an important historical building.
Building the Church
The area around St James the Great became its own church district in 1872. Before that, it was part of St John's Church, Darlington. Plans for the new church were made in 1873 by architects Ross and Lamb from Darlington.
The first stone for the church was laid on April 14, 1875. This special event was led by the Mayor of Darlington, H.F. Pease. Many local companies helped build the church. For example, Simpson and Cowling did the stone work. R.T. Smith handled the wood work. Pattison and Son put on the roof slates. R. Smith took care of the plumbing and windows.
The church was built in a cross shape. It has a main area called a nave without side aisles. The church was officially opened on August 30, 1876. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Charles Baring, led the opening ceremony.
On April 28, 1952, the church was given its grade II listed building status. This protects its history and special design.
The Church Today
The Church of St James the Great follows a traditional style of worship within the Church of England. This style is known as Traditional Catholic.
Because the church does not agree with the ordination of women as priests, it receives special guidance. This guidance comes from the Bishop of Beverley, who is currently Stephen Race. This is called alternative episcopal oversight.
Church Organ
A large pipe organ was put into the church in 1900. It was made by a company called Lewis and Co. The organ was officially dedicated on June 28, 1900. The vicar of Darlington, Revd. F.W. Mortimer, led this dedication.
You can find details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register. This original pipe organ was later sold. It went to St Andrew's Church in Ingleby, Greenhow, North Yorkshire. An electronic organ replaced it at St James the Great.
