St James Church, Muswell Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James, Muswell Hill |
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| Parish Church of St James | |
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| Location | St James Lane, Muswell Hill, London N10 3DB |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| Weekly attendance | 500+ per Sunday, plus children |
| Website | www.st-james.org.uk |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1842/1902 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Samuel Angell J. S. Alder |
| Architectural type | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1900 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 179 feet |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Muswell Hill |
| Deanery | West Haringey |
| Archdeaconry | Hampstead |
| Episcopal area | Edmonton |
| Diocese | London |
| Province | Canterbury |
Welcome to St James Church in Muswell Hill! It's a large Anglican church in London. People often call it "the Church on the Hill" because it stands high up.
Contents
The History of St James Church
Building the Church
The first church building was designed by Samuel Angell. It was officially opened in 1842. Later, in 1874, it was made bigger.
A new church was designed by J. S. Alder in 1898. The first stone for the church you see today was placed in 1900. The completed church was officially opened by the Bishop of London on June 30, 1902.
Challenges and Rebuilding
During World War II, the church was badly damaged by bombs. It was almost completely destroyed inside. After a lot of hard work, the church was repaired and reopened in 1952.
A new church centre was also built later. Its first stone was laid on May 20, 1994. You can still see this stone in the church's bookshop.
The Tall Spire
The church's tall spire was finished in 1910. The church itself is built on a hill, over 300 feet above sea level. With its tall tower and spire, the church reaches 179 feet into the sky!
St James Primary School
A primary school connected to the church was built nearby in 1850. A newer school building is now located on Woodside Avenue.
Leaders of St James Church
The church has had many vicars (leaders) over the years. Here are some of them:
- 1842–1846 John Jackson (who later became a bishop of London)
- 1846–1876 James Browell
- 1876–1894 Ernest Peter Cachemaille
- 1894–1912 James Shearer Whichelow
- 1912–1931 Arthur Mercer
- 1931–1958 Ernest Ernold Dunn
- 1958–1966 Norman Harold Bainbridge
- 1967–1977 William Sidney Allam
- 1978–1992 Michael Bunker
- 1993–2007 Alex Ross
- 2008–2013 Kim Swithinbank
- 2014–present Christopher Green
