St James' Parish Church, Wetherby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St James' Parish Church
Parish Church of St James
53°55′47″N 1°23′11″W / 53.9298°N 1.3864°W / 53.9298; -1.3864
Location	Wetherby, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	St James Wetherby
History
Dedication	St James
Administration
Parish	Wetherby
Deanery	Wetherby
Archdeaconry	Leeds
Diocese	Leeds
Province	York

St James' Parish Church is a special church in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England and serves the people of Wetherby and Linton.

The Church's Story

An aerial view of the church

For a long time, Wetherby did not have its own main church. It was part of a larger church area called Spofforth. People in Wetherby used a smaller chapel, which was like a mini-church. Records show a chapel existed in Wetherby as early as 1301.

Over the years, a few chapels were built and then taken down. One old, thatched chapel in the Market Square was removed in 1760. A new one was built in 1763, but it was also taken down in 1845.

Building a New Church

In 1833, a church leader named William Raby came to Wetherby. He had big plans to build both a new church and the Wetherby Town Hall.

On April 3, 1838, important people from the town and church met. They decided to build a proper church with a graveyard. Many local people helped pay for it. These included business owners, doctors, and even the postmaster. They all gave at least £20, which was a lot of money back then!

The land for the church was a barley field. It was given by Edwin Greenwood. An access road was also made from the market place.

First Stones and Opening

The first stones for the church were laid on April 1, 1839. A person named Quentin Rhodes gave a lot of money towards the first cost of £4000. The church was built using stone from a nearby place called Collingham.

The church was officially opened on February 1, 1842. It cost about £4,300 to build. Later, in 1877, the church was updated and improved. This cost another £1000, which was also raised by local people.

Church on the Corner

Church on the Corner

The churchyard did not have much space for burials. So, a large cemetery was created on Hallfield Lane. It has two similar chapels. One is used by St James' Church on the Corner. The other is the main cemetery chapel. The local town council manages this cemetery.

Church Design and Look

Royal Coat of Arms

The church faces east to west. It has a tall tower on the west side. This tower has clocks on three sides: west, north, and south. The main part of the church and the tower are made of sandstone. They were finished in 1842. The church was built in a style called Gothic Revival.

The back part of the church, called the chancel, was added in 1877. A porch was built in the 1990s. On the north side, there is an entrance to the crypt, which is an underground room. The south side has the old and new entrances. It also has a beautiful round window called a rose window.

Inside the Church

Interior

Inside, the church has a tall arch leading to the tower. There is also a tall arch leading to the chancel. The chancel ceiling is painted and has wooden beams. The main area of the church has hanging lamps. Some of the church furniture was made by a famous designer named Robert Thompson.

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de Santiago (Wetherby) para niños

• Listed buildings in Wetherby