St James's Church, Bermondsey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James's Church, Bermondsey |
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| 51°29′49″N 0°04′00″W / 51.4970°N 0.0668°W | |
| Location | Bermondsey, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 7 May 1829 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | II* |
| Designated | 6 December 1949 |
| Architect(s) | James Savage |
| Style | Neo-classical |
| Years built | 1827–1829 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St James', Bermondsey |
| Archdeaconry | Southwark |
| Episcopal area | Woolwich |
| Archdiocese | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Southwark |
| Province | Canterbury |
St James's Church, Bermondsey is a special Church of England church located in south London. It was designed by a famous architect named James Savage. This church was one of many built because of new laws called the Church Building Acts.
The church was finished and officially opened in 1829. In 1840, it became its own separate church area, or "parish." Before that, it was part of the older parish of St Mary Magdalene's, Bermondsey. In 1949, St James's Church was given a special status as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building.
The Church's Design and Spire
The tall, pointed top part of the church, called the spire, was inspired by another famous church. This was St. Stephen Walbrook, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. To build this spire, the church needed to borrow extra money. They even needed a special law passed in Parliament in 1831 to do this!
The Churchyard's History
The area around the church, known as the churchyard, was once used for burials. However, in 1855, people stopped being buried there. After that, the churchyard became a place where people could hang out their clothes to dry.
Later, a group called the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association helped turn the churchyard into beautiful gardens. These gardens were opened for everyone to enjoy in 1886. Even today, you can still see a tall stone monument, called an obelisk, and some old chest-shaped tombs there.
