St James' Church, Midhopestones facts for kids
St James’ Church, Midhopestones is a small, old church in a quiet village called Midhopestones. It is located near the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. Since April 1969, it has been a special Grade II* listed building, which means it is very important historically. People sometimes call St James’ a chapel because it is quite small. In fact, it is on a street called Chapel Lane! The church is officially named after James the Less. However, some people think it should be named after James the Greater. This is because the carvings above the church door show scallop shells, which are a traditional symbol for James the Greater. It is possible the church was renamed to James the Less a long time ago because of its small size. The church is part of the Penistone area within the Diocese of Wakefield.
Church History
How the Church Started
St James’ Church was founded by the Barnby family. They lived at Barnby Hall in Cawthorne. Thomas de Barnby became the main landowner of Midhope in 1337. His nephew, Robert de Barnby, probably started the church around 1360. Some experts think Thomas might have started it a bit earlier.
The church was built as a Chapel of ease. This means it was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main parish church. The main church for this area was St. Marys’ in Ecclesfield, which was about 14 kilometers away. The Barnby family used St James’ as their own private chapel. But in 1622, they had to sell their land and the church. This was because they faced money problems from fines. They were fined for attending Mass and not going to the official state church during the English Reformation.
Between 1622 and 1690, Puritans owned the church. They put in a tall Jacobean pulpit. This pulpit was so high that the preacher could see out of the window! This pulpit is now the oldest and most valuable item in the church. In the late 1600s, the chapel started to fall apart.
Restoration in 1705
In 1705, Godfrey Bosville restored the church. He became the main landowner in 1690. Bosville rebuilt parts of the east and west ends of the church. He also added the porch, a Minstrels' gallery (a balcony for musicians), box pews (enclosed seats), and a bell cupola (a small dome holding a bell).
Bosville had his family’s coat of arms carved above the porch door. He also had his and his wife Bridget's initials carved there. This showed that he thought of the church as his family’s private chapel. This made many local people unhappy.
Until 1847, priests from the nearby St Mary's Church, Bolsterstone held services at St James’. All records of births, marriages, and deaths were kept at St Mary's. After 1847, priests from Penistone held the services. The bell in the cupola was replaced in 1858 and again in 1929. The church graveyard was first created in the 1700s and made larger in 1915.
Modern Changes
In 1967, a trap door was found between the pulpit and the altar. This discovery made people wonder if there was a secret tunnel. People thought it might connect the church to the old manor house. However, no tunnel was found. It is now believed that this was a hidden spot where the church’s silver items were kept safe.
In 1978, more renovations took place. The pulpit was made shorter to its current height. Brass candlesticks and a cross were replaced with ones made of wrought iron. Some of the front box pews were removed. The oak wood from these pews was used to make new inner doors and a desk and chair for the priest. During these 1978 renovations, a large, old stone altar was found in the south wall. This ancient altar is now used at Saint John the Baptist Church, Penistone.
