St James's Church, Reading facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James's Church |
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St James's Church, seen from Forbury Gardens
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 St James's Church
Location in Reading Central
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| 51°27′25.48″N 0°57′55.13″W / 51.4570778°N 0.9653139°W | |
| Location | Reading |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | jameswilliam-reading.org.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Dedication | St James |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Architect(s) | A. W. N. Pugin |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Reading |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Province of Southwark |
St James's Church is a Catholic church located in the town of Reading, England. It stands right next to the old Reading Abbey ruins. You can find it between the beautiful Forbury Gardens and Reading Gaol.
Contents
About St James's Church
St James's Church carries on the traditions of Reading Abbey. This is important because the Abbey was a very old and famous religious site. The church was founded by James Wheble. He owned land in the area a long time ago.
Who Designed the Church?
A famous architect named A. W. N. Pugin designed St James's Church. This was one of his very first church designs. Pugin is known for his amazing work on many important buildings.
Interestingly, parts of the church were built using stones. These stones came from the nearby Reading Abbey ruins. This connects the new church to the ancient history of the area.
What Does It Look Like?
The church's design is in the Norman style. This style is not typical for Pugin's work. It was probably chosen because it matched the old Abbey ruins nearby.
The outside of the church is made of flint stone. It has smooth stone details and a roof made of Roman tiles. Construction began in 1837. The church officially opened its doors on August 5, 1840.
How the Church Grew
Over the years, the church has been made bigger. In 1925, a south side section and a walkway around the altar area were added. Later, in 1962, a north side section was built. The area for baptisms was moved into this new part.
St James's Church is considered a special building. It is a Grade II listed building. This means it is protected because of its historical and architectural importance.
St James's Today
St James's Church and St William of York's Church work together. They form one joint parish. A parish is like a local church community. This parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth.
Since 2010, the main priest, called the parish priest, has been Canon John O'Shea. Many people attend Sunday services at St James's. The church is known for having a large number of different nationalities in its community.
Famous Connections
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was a very important leader in the Catholic Church. He was the Archbishop of Westminster from 2000 to 2009. He was baptised at St James's Church when he was a baby. As a boy, he also served at the altar there regularly.
