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 historic building located on Blake Street in Barrow-in-Furness, England. It is part of the Church of England and belongs to the Diocese of Carlisle. This church building was finished in the mid-1800s. It is also a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
About St. James' Church
Building History and Size
St. James' Church was started in 1867, and its construction was completed in 1869. It was one of the first Anglican churches built in Barrow-in-Furness as the town grew quickly. The church is quite large, able to hold over 1,000 people. This makes it the biggest place of worship in the town.
The church building is also a very noticeable part of the Barrow skyline. Its tall spire reaches about 45.7 meters (150 feet) high. The church itself is about 39 meters (128 feet) long and 18.3 meters (60 feet) wide.
The Famous Organ
St. James' Church has a very special organ. It was first built in 1837 by William Hill. This organ was originally placed in the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London. It was even 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 rebuilt and had 400 more pipes added. During World War II, in 1941, the church was damaged during the Barrow Blitz. However, the church was repaired and reopened in 1943.
Bell Restoration Project
Restoring the Church Bells
During the 1990s, the church underwent a lot of repair work to look as it does today. The church tower 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 when the church roof and a large window were being replaced. After the repairs, the bells were checked and found to be unsafe to ring.
The Bell Appeal
A big effort was made between 2008 and 2014 to fix the bells. This project involved cleaning the bells and making them sound right again. They were also rehung with a new frame and fittings, placed lower in the tower. The heaviest bell now weighs about two-thirds of a ton.
The Bishop of Carlisle, James Newcome, officially rededicated the bells. This special service took place on Sunday, March 9, 2014.
See also
- Listed buildings in Barrow-in-Furness
- List of places of worship in Barrow-in-Furness
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
