Shirley Parish Church facts for kids
St James' by the Park is a church in Shirley, Southampton. It's also called Shirley Parish Church. This church is part of the Anglican faith. It's a special building because it's listed as a Grade II historic site. After another church, St John's, closed, St James' became the main church for the area.
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The Story of St James' Church
Did you know there was a church in Shirley way back in 1085? The old Domesday Book mentions it. But on May 1, 1574, the Shirley church joined with a church in Millbrook, Southampton. This happened because the small group of people at Shirley church couldn't afford to keep their building in good shape.
From Old Stones to New Beginnings
The original Shirley church was taken down in 1609. The stones from that old building were then used to make St Nicholas' Church in Millbrook bigger. It's cool how old materials can be reused!
By 1836, the area had grown a lot. There were 2,375 people living in the combined church area. The old Millbrook church was just too small for everyone. A kind person named Nathaniel Newman Jefferys gave land for a brand new church in Shirley. Money for the building came from a group called the Church Building Society and from private donations.
Building a New Church
The new church was named St. James. A local architect named William Hinves designed it. On August 20, 1836, the church was officially opened by the Bishop of Winchester. Even though the weather was bad, a big crowd came to see it.
The Hampshire Advertiser newspaper described the new church. It said the church could seat 600 people. Behind the altar was a beautiful Gothic screen. This screen had three parts. The outer parts showed the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Belief. The middle part had a painting of the crucifixion by an artist named Shayer. The newspaper called it a "first rate painting."
In 1848, the building was also described as a "handsome structure." It had a square tower with a fancy top.
Growing and Changing
The first leader of St James' Church was Reverend William Orger. He led the church for 25 years. During this time, the church grew very quickly. It grew so much that they had to add more space just a few years after it opened.
In 1840, they added balconies inside. This made room for 1080 people! By 1848, about 600 people regularly attended church. In 1875, a church clock was added. More new pews and a new chancel (the area near the altar) were put in during 1881.
The Story of St John's Church
In 1912, another church, St John's, started. It was first in a temporary building made of tin. Plans to build a new St John's church were made in 1957. New plans were approved in 1959. The Bishop of Winchester, Dr Alwyn Williams, laid the first stone for the new building. Later, this building was changed into a community center called St John's Centre.
Modern Updates
St James' Church building got a big makeover in 1994. The old pews were taken out, and the floor was made flat and covered with carpet. On March 1, 2016, they updated their seating again. They added new blue chairs that are much more comfortable than the old ones.
In 2020, there were talks about tearing down St John's Centre to build houses. Plans were sent in that year to replace the building with five houses. But these plans were not approved. New plans were submitted in 2021 to build four houses instead. However, these plans were also stopped in October 2022.
The St John's building was eventually sold to The Church of Pentecost. The handover happened at a joint celebration in early 2023.
