St James' Church, Islington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James' Church, Islington |
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| 51°32′14″N 0°05′45″W / 51.5371°N 0.0958°W | |
| Location | Islington, London, N1 8PF |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Modern Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Architect(s) | F. W. Porter |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. James with St. Peter, Islington |
| Deanery | Islington |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Hackney |
| Episcopal area | Episcopal Area of Stepney |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St James' Church, Islington is a local church in Islington, a part of London, England. It is located on Prebend Street, between Essex Road and the New North Road. A parish church serves a specific local area, and St James' covers a neighbourhood in Islington.
Contents
History of St James' Church
Building the Church and Estate
St James' Church was built by a group called the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. They are one of the old trade groups from the City of London. The church was finished and officially opened in 1875. It was built to serve the people living in the nearby Packington housing estate, which was mostly finished around 1850.
Land and Bells
The land where the church and estate stand used to belong to St Paul's Cathedral. However, during the Protestant Reformation, the land was taken from the cathedral. It was then sold to the Clothworkers' Company. In 1563, Dame Ann Packington gave the company another 60 acres of land. This land was once used for archery practice. The church also received a set of bells from Lady Burdett-Coutts, a very generous person.
Church Names and Mergers
The full name of the church is St James' with St Peter and St Philip, Islington. This is because it includes the areas of two older churches. St Philip's the Evangelist was built in 1857 but was taken down in 1954. St Peter's, located on Devonia Road, closed in 1981. Their communities joined with St James'.
Connection to William Lambe
St James' Church is also linked to a much older chapel called Lambe's Chapel. This chapel was named after William Lambe. He was a master of the Clothworkers' Company in 1569. The west wall of St James' Church today has a stone carving of William Lambe from 1612. The original Lambe's Chapel was pulled down in 1825, and a new one was built. That new chapel was also later demolished in 1872.
Church Design and Features
The church was designed by F. W. Porter, who was the architect for the Clothworkers' Company. It was built in a style similar to 13th-century French gothic architecture. This style often features tall arches and detailed stonework. The church has a beautiful East window made by artists Lavers & Baraud. In the north chapel, there are also four round glass pictures from Lambe's Chapel.
St James' Church in the Media
On December 14, 2018, the church was used for filming a short movie. It was a sequel to the famous film Four Weddings and a Funeral. This short film was made for Comic Relief, a charity event, and shown on BBC Television. Famous actors like Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Grant were in it.
The church also received a positive review from a "mystery worshipper" from the Ship of Fools website in December 2018. They gave the sermon a high rating!
St James' Church Today
Community Activities
Today, St James' Church is a busy place. The Islington Proms organization holds classical music concerts there every year.
The church also helps the local community. On Mondays, they provide a free soup and sandwich lunch for people who are homeless or in need.
Church Life and Worship
St James' Church is part of the Church of England. The people who attend the church come from many different backgrounds. The style of worship is described as 'modern catholic'. This means it balances traditional church practices with more modern hymns and songs.
Gallery
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East window of St James's Church
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Effigy of William Lambe in St James' Church
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Church from the south-west
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Church from the west
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William lambe
