St. James' Church, Barrow-in-Furness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. James' Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Hindpool, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Edward Graham Paley |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1869 |
| Spire height | 45.7 metres (150 ft) |
| Website | |
| The Church of St James Barrow Bells Website | |
St. James' Church is a beautiful old church located on Blake Street in Barrow-in-Furness, a town in England. It's part of the Church of England, specifically within the Diocese of Carlisle. This church building was built in the mid-1800s and is considered a very important historical building, known as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's protected because of its special history and architecture.
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Church History and Design
St. James' Church was first started in 1867. The building itself was finished in 1869. It was only the second Anglican church built in Barrow, which was growing very quickly at the time.
A Big Church for Barrow
This church is the largest place of worship in Barrow. It can hold over 1,000 people! Its tall spire also makes it a very noticeable building in the town's skyline. The spire of St. James' Church is about 45.7 m (150 ft) tall. The church building is 39 m (128 ft) long and 18.3 m (60 ft) wide.
The Famous Organ
St. James' Church has a very special organ. It was designed and built in 1837 by a famous organ maker named William Hill. This organ was first placed in the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London. Imagine, this very organ was used for the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on February 10, 1840!
In 1865, the organ was moved from London to Barrow. It arrived at St. James' Church in 1868. Later, in 1884, it was updated with new parts and 400 more pipes. During World War II, in 1941, the church was badly damaged in the Barrow Blitz. However, it was repaired and reopened in 1943.
Restoring the Bells
The church went through a lot of restoration work in the 1990s. This is why it looks so good today.
The Church Bells
The tower of St. James' Church holds a set of 8 bells. These bells were made in 1877 by a company called John Warner and Sons. The bells stopped ringing in 1999 because the church roof and a large window needed repairs. After the repairs, the bells were checked and found to be unsafe to ring.
Bringing the Bells Back to Life
A big effort was made between 2008 and 2014 to fix the bells. People raised money for this important project. The bells were cleaned, re-tuned, and hung again with a brand new frame. They were also placed a bit lower in the tower. The heaviest bell now weighs about two-thirds of a ton!
The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt. Revd. James Newcome, held a special service on Sunday, March 9, 2014. At this service, he officially rededicated the bells, meaning they were ready to ring again.
More to Explore
- Listed buildings in Barrow-in-Furness
- List of places of worship in Barrow-in-Furness
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
