St James with Holy Trinity Church, Scarborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St James with Holy Trinity Church, Scarborough
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OS grid reference	TA 03260 87610
Location	Seamer Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Open Evangelical
Website	St James, Scarborough
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1885
Founder(s)	F. Hartop Holt
Dedication	Saint James
Consecrated	24 July 1894
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	20 April 2007
Architect(s)	Paley, Austin and Paley
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1894
Specifications
Materials	Brick with stone dressings Tiled roofs
Administration
Parish	Scarborough St. James with Holy Trinity
Deanery	Scarborough
Archdeaconry	East Riding
Diocese	York
Province	York

St James with Holy Trinity Church is a special church located in Seamer Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is an important part of the local community. It is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's a historic and important structure.

History of the Church

The church started as a smaller "mission chapel" for All Saints' Church in Scarborough. A mission chapel is like a smaller church building used to reach more people in an area. It first opened its doors on July 25, 1885, which is St James' Day. At that time, it could fit about 200 people.

The church was founded by F. Hartop Holt, who was a curate (a type of minister) at All Saints' Church. Much of the money for building it came from his aunt, who was the widow of a famous engineer named James Nasmyth. The chapel was designed by a well-known architectural firm from Lancaster called Paley, Austin and Paley.

In 1893, work began to make the church bigger. They added two aisles (side sections) so it could hold around 350 people. They also added a vestry (a room for the clergy) and made the porch larger. These new parts were also designed by the same architects.

The church was officially "consecrated" (made sacred) on July 24, 1894. The Archbishop of York, William Maclagan, led this special ceremony. It became a full parish church and was dedicated to Saint James.

In 1990, this church joined with Holy Trinity Church, which had closed in the 1980s. It was then renamed the Parish Church of St James with Holy Trinity. Archbishop John Habgood of York rededicated it.

The Church Today

St James with Holy Trinity Church follows the "evangelical Anglican" tradition. This means it has a strong focus on the Bible and sharing the Christian faith. As of 2024, it is connected with the Church of St Columba, Scarborough. Together, they form the "benefice" (a group of churches served by the same clergy) of Scarborough Saint Columba and Saint James with Holy Trinity. The church is part of the Diocese of York.

Church Architecture

Outside the Church

The church is built on a sloped piece of land. It is made of brick with stone decorations, and its roofs are mostly tiled. The building style is Gothic Revival, which means it looks like older Gothic churches. It mainly uses the "Decorated" Gothic style, known for its fancy windows and carvings.

The church has a nave (the main central part) with aisles on the north and south sides. It also has a chancel (the area around the altar) and a porch and vestry at the west end. There's a bell tower that rises above the east end of the south aisle. Below the east end of the church, there is an undercroft, which is like a basement area.

The undercroft has three windows, each with two lights (sections). Above these is the main east window of the chancel, which has four lights. The top of the chancel has a pointed roof shape called a gable, topped with a cross finial (a decorative ornament). The south wall of the chancel has a three-light window, but the north wall is plain. The north aisle has a two-light window at its east end and three similar windows along its north wall. At the west end of the nave, there is a large four-light window.

The porch and vestry have flat roofs. The south aisle has a two-light window at its west end and two four-light windows on its south side. At the east end of the south aisle is the bell tower. This tower has a slated spire (a tall, pointed roof) and a weathervane shaped like a fish. Next to the tower, there is a room for the organ with a three-light window.

Inside the Church

Inside, the church has arcades, which are rows of pointed arches. These arches are supported by strong pillars called piers. The piers have a special diamond shape with beveled (sloped) edges.

Between the nave and the chancel, there is a wooden screen made of oak. This screen includes the pulpit, which is where sermons are given. It was put in place in 1921 to remember those who served in the First World War. The screen also lists the names of civilians who died during a naval attack on December 16, 1914. This was the only time the German Navy raided mainland Britain during that war.

The reredos (a decorative screen behind the altar), the altar itself, and the choir stalls are also made of oak. At the east end of the north aisle, there is a baptismal font made of artificial stone. This font was installed in 1947 to remember those who served in the Second World War.

The beautiful stained glass windows were designed by Carl Almquist and E. H. Jewitt from Shrigley and Hunt. The large east window is a memorial to the church's founder. It shows a picture of the Last Supper. The organ, which has one keyboard, was built in 1976 by N. Church.

See also

• List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley