St James' Church, Yarmouth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. James' Church, Yarmouth
St. James' Church, Yarmouth
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church
History
Dedication	St. James
Administration
Parish	Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Diocese	Portsmouth
Province	Canterbury

St. James' Church, Yarmouth is a historic church located in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. It is part of the Church of England. This church is a very important building, recognized for its special history and architecture.

History of St. James' Church

The first church building here was very old, from the Middle Ages. Not much of that original church remains today. A major rebuilding project started in 1635.

The Story of Sir Robert Holmes' Statue

Inside the church, you can find a monument to Sir Robert Holmes. He was an important admiral (a high-ranking naval officer) in the 1600s. Sir Robert used Yarmouth as his base for naval operations.

There's a famous story about his statue. It's said that he took an unfinished statue from a French ship during a raid. This statue was meant to be of Louis XIV of France. Sir Robert supposedly made the sculptor change the statue's head to look like him instead of the king!

However, many people believe this is just a legend. The face on the statue actually looks more like King Louis XIV than the known pictures of Sir Robert Holmes.

Building and Rebuilding the Church

Local stories say the very first church was located at the east end of Yarmouth town. Its old foundations could still be seen in 1845. This early church was destroyed by French invaders in 1377.

It was then rebuilt on the spot where the church stands today. But it was damaged again in 1543. In the early 1600s, the church was almost completely rebuilt. It was officially opened again by John Davenant, who was the Bishop of Salisbury, on March 11, 1626.

Later, in 1889, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was made longer by about 12 feet.

Inside the Church

To the south of the main church area, there is a small chapel. This chapel holds the beautiful statue of Sir Robert Holmes, who passed away in 1692. You can also find many memorials to the Holmes family there.

Other interesting features include a wall tablet from 1802 for Captain John Urry. On the floor, there are old grave slabs from the 1600s belonging to the Hide family and Peter Pryavlx, who died in 1644. At the back of the church, on the gallery, there are brass tablets. These tablets remember different gifts given to the church for charity. In the north aisle, you can see a special display from 1715 for King George I.

The Church Organ

The organ

The organ in St. James' Church was built by a company called Henry Speechly & Son. If you are interested in learning more about this organ, you can find details on the National Pipe Organ Register website.

Images for kids

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  Statue of Sir Robert Holmes

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  The east end

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  The font

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  The altar