St James' Church, Staveley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James’ Church, Staveley |
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St James’ Church, Staveley
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 St James’ Church, Staveley
Location in Cumbria
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| 54°22′48.74″N 2°49′6.86″W / 54.3802056°N 2.8185722°W | |
| Location | Staveley, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St James |
| Consecrated | 24 April 1865 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | J. S. Crowther |
| Groundbreaking | 24 September 1863 |
| Completed | 1865 |
| Construction cost | £1,500 (equivalent to £104,800 in 2021) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 300 persons |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Staveley |
| Deanery | Windermere |
| Archdeaconry | Westmoreland & Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
St James' Church, Staveley is a historic church in Staveley, Cumbria, England. It is part of the Church of England. This church is considered a special building, known as a Grade II listed building. This means it is important for its history and architecture.
St James' Church is connected with several other churches nearby. These include St Martin's Church in Bowness-on-Windermere, St Anne's Church in Ings, St Cuthbert's Church in Kentmere, Jesus Church in Troutbeck, and St Mary's Church in Windermere. They all work together as one group.
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History of St James' Church
In the 1860s, the old church in Staveley was replaced. The original church was built in the 1300s. A new church was built on a different spot. Only the tower of the very old church is still standing today.
The new church was designed by an architect named J. S. Crowther. He was from Manchester. The church was built in a style called Early English. This style was popular in England a long time ago.
The first stone for the new church was laid on September 24, 1863. This special event was done by General Upton. He was acting for Mrs. Howard, who was the Lady of the Manor.
The church was officially opened on April 24, 1865. This ceremony was led by the Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd Samuel Waldegrave. At that time, only a small spire on top of the church was still being finished.
Church Leaders (Incumbents)
An incumbent is the main priest or minister in charge of a church. Here is a list of some of the people who have led St James' Church over many years:
- William Hudson (until 1658)
- James Robinson (1676 - 1691)
- William Harrison (1691 - 1724)
- Thomas Garnett (1724 - 1742)
- Isaac Knipe (1742 - 1754)
- William Langhorne (1754 - 1757)
- George Myres (1757 - 1806)
- Peter Strickland (1807 - 1837)
- James G. Elleray (1837 - 1858)
- William Chaplin (Senior) (1858 - 1898)
- John Hawkesworth (1898 - 1902)
- William Chaplin (1902 - 1920)
- Ernest W.J. McConnel (1920 - 1943)
- Eric E. Oliver (1943 - 1976)
- Stephen Swidenbank (1976 - 1985)
- John Woolcock (1986 - 1993)
- Geoffrey Watson (1994 - 2013)
- Shanthi Thompson (2013 - present)
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
Stained glass windows are pictures made from many small pieces of colored glass. These pieces are held together by lead. They often tell stories or show religious scenes.
- The East Window: This window is very special. It has amazing pre-Raphaelite glass. This type of art was popular in the 1800s. The window was made in 1878 by a company called Morris and Co. The designs for the glass were created by Edward Burne-Jones.
The Church Organ
A church organ is a large musical instrument. It makes sound using pipes and air. Organs are often used during church services.
The organ at St James' Church was built by Wilkinson and Son. They were organ builders from Kendal. The organ was first played on September 25, 1866. Mr. Smallwood from St George's Church, Kendal played it for the first time. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
