St James the Great, Cardiff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St James the Great |
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Eglwys Sant Iago Fawr
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Church of St James the Great
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Cardiff |
| Country | Wales |
| Construction started | 1890 |
| Completed | 1894 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | E. M. Bruce Vaughan |
St James the Great (which is Eglwys Sant Iago Fawr in Welsh) was a church in Cardiff, Wales. It was located on Newport Road, close to the city centre. This church served as an Anglican place of worship for 112 years. It finally closed its doors in 2006.
Contents
Discovering the Church's History
The Church of St James the Great was designed by a famous architect named Colonel E. M. Bruce Vaughan. Building work started in 1890 and finished in 1894. It was built to replace an older church that was made of iron.
Building a Special Church
Many people consider this church to be Bruce-Vaughan's most important work. He took some ideas from another nearby church, St German's Church in Adamsdown. For example, he made the chancel (the area around the altar) very high and wide. A special feature of St James the Great was its beautiful tower and spire. The whole project cost a lot of money, about £10,000 at the time!
Materials and Design
The outside of the church was built using different types of stone. These included Sweldon limestone, Bath stone, and ashlar. Inside, the large pillars that supported the roof were a mix of round and octagonal shapes. The church also had a very fancy carved pulpit (where the priest gives sermons). It was made from pink, green, and buff-coloured stone. There was also a special gilded and painted screen called a reredos from the early 1900s.
A Protected Building
Because of its special design and history, the church became a Grade II listed building in 1975. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
What Happened to the Church?
After closing in 2006, the Church in Wales sold the building in 2007 for £500,000. Some important parts of the church were moved to new homes. For example, the font (a large basin used for baptisms) is now in the entrance hall of the Tredegarville Primary School next door. The beautiful reredos screen was moved to St Theodore's Church in Port Talbot.
Transforming the Church Building
After the church closed, people had new ideas for what the building could become.
New Homes for the Community
In 2008, plans were approved to turn the church into 12 apartments. These would be one or two-bedroom homes. There were also plans for a seven-story apartment inside the church tower! Later, in 2014, new plans were submitted to create 16 homes in total.
Modern Living in a Historic Space
A company called Adapt Conversions completed the building's transformation. They worked with architect Andrew Shipley. They made sure to keep many of the church's original features. This included the old arches, columns, and even the beautiful stained glass windows. These old features were made part of the new apartments. In 2022, three show homes were opened for people to see. The 16 unique apartments were then put up for sale.
See also
- Architecture of Cardiff
