St James' Church, Altham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St James' Church, Altham
St James' Church, Altham, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SD 772,331
Location	Altham, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St James, Altham
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	17 December 1968
Architect(s)	Thomas Hacking (1859 additions and alterations) Paley and Austin (chapel rebuilt)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, stone slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Altham with Clayton le Moors
Deanery	Accrington
Archdeaconry	Blackburn
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

St James' Church is a historic church located in the village of Altham, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is part of the Diocese of Blackburn. It is also a special building, listed as Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a very important historical building.

History of St James' Church

When was St James' Church built?

St James' Church was first started in 1140. It was originally dedicated to Saint Mary. The oldest parts of the church you see today were built in the 1400s and 1500s.

How has the church changed over time?

The church has been updated many times. In 1859, the tower was built. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was also rebuilt then. These changes were made by an architect named Thomas Hacking. Later, in 1881, a chapel was rebuilt by famous architects Paley and Austin from Lancaster.

Architecture of St James' Church

What does the outside of the church look like?

St James' Church is made from sandstone rubble, which are rough, broken stones. Its roof is made of stone slates. The church has a main area called a nave, and two side sections called aisles. There is also a south porch and a chancel.

The church has a short, three-story tower at the west end. This tower is built in the Perpendicular style, which was popular in the late Middle Ages. It has an arched doorway and windows with two lights. The top of the tower has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall.

All the windows along the sides of the church are round-headed. The south porch has a pointed roof and includes part of a very old Norman font. This font was moved inside the church in 2008. Its design suggests it might even be Saxon, which is very old!

What can you see inside the church?

Inside St James' Church, there is a small gallery at the west end. The main hall has arcades with round arches. These arches are supported by eight-sided piers.

In the north wall of the chancel, there is a late-medieval piscina. This was a basin used for washing sacred vessels. In the south wall, you can see the tympanum of a Norman door. A tympanum is a carved panel above a doorway.

The church has an eight-sided font that was given by the abbot of Whalley Abbey. This font has carvings of the Instruments of the Passion, which are symbols related to the crucifixion of Jesus.

You can also find four 19th-century hatchments inside. These are diamond-shaped boards showing a family's coat of arms. There are also memorial tablets from the 1700s and 1800s. The church still has its original box pews from 1859.

The church features beautiful stained glass windows. One in the southeast aisle is from the mid-1800s by Hardman & Co.. Another in the northeast aisle is from the early 1900s by Shrigley and Hunt. The church's organ was built around 1859 by John Laycock. It has been recognized as a historic organ.

External Features

The churchyard of St James' Church is also a special place. It contains the war graves of three British soldiers from World War I. There is also the grave of a Canadian seaman who died in World War II. These graves remind us of the sacrifices made during these wars.

Images for kids

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  St James' Church, Altham, from the southwest

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
• Listed buildings in Altham, Lancashire
• List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin