One of the boards outside the church
entrance, in Jermyn Street, reads:
"Welcome to St
James's
If you are a visitor to London, you
will not want to miss the opportunity of seeing one of London's most beautiful
churches.
Designed and built by Sir
Christopher Wren, St James's was consecrated in 1684. The church, which
witnessed the baptism of the poet and visionary painter, William Blake, has a
colourful history and literary allusions are frequent, notably in the works of
Evelyn, Defoe and Vanbrugh. It has a fine musical tradition and is popular for
weddings and memorial services.
The building was severely damaged
by enemy bombs during the Second World War. Restoration work was completed in
1954 and the church's most striking original features survive, namely the
carvings around the altar, the organ case and marble font, all fashioned by
Grinling Gibbons.
St James's is an international
centre of Christian ministry and the church attracts visitors from all over the
world while continuing to offer spiritual nourishment to those who live and work
in the area. St James's flourishes as a place for prayer and celebration, a
centre for healing. a forum for the arts and a platform for public debate on
issues of public importance.
All are welcome to experience and
share this vision either by attending the regular services or through
participation in our extensive programme of activities."
The church is a Grade I listed building
and its entry at the English Heritage website (visit
link) reads:
"Church of St James's 24.2.58
Piccadilly GV I Parish church, 1676-84 by Sir Christopher Wren. A large church
of red brick with Portland dressings restored after war damage (1947-54). West
tower in front of West end, the spire originally added 1699-1700, destroyed in
war and rebuilt 1968 by Sir Albert Richardson. North and south lobbies of 1856.
2 tiers of segment-headed and semi- circular arched upper windows to sides.
Doric porch. East end has broad tripartite window with Venetian windowZ set over
it. The interior spacious, with square pillars to gallery from which rise
Corinthian columns to nave barrel vault, cut into by transverse aisle vaults.
Low segmental arched reredos, carving by Grinling Gibbons. Fitting monuments,
etc., new pews and light fittings. Built in connection with Lord St. Albans'
development of the St. James's area, the interior layout according to Wren the
most practical for Anglican purposes."
The British History website (visit
link) contains a lengthy article about the church. The following is an
extract:
"St. James's, Piccadilly), is in
many ways the finest of the group of four closely similar churches designed by
Sir Christopher Wren for building on large open sites, the others being St.
Anne's, Soho, St. Andrew's by the Wardrobe, and St. Andrew's, Holborn. Wren's
own regard was such that he singled out St. James's for description and
commendation in his letter 'Upon the Building of National Churches'. (ref. 1)
There he wrote: 'The Churches therefore must be large; but still, in our
reformed Religion, it should seem vain to make a Parish-church larger, than that
all who are present can both hear and see. The Romanists, indeed, may build
larger Churches, it is enough if they hear the Murmer of the Mass, and see the
Elevation of the Host, but ours are to be fitted for Auditories. I can hardly
think it practicable to make a single Room so capacious, with Pews and
Galleries, as to hold above 2,000 Persons, and all to hear the Service, and both
to hear distinctly, and see the Preacher. I endeavoured to effect this, in
building the Parish Church of St. James's, Westminster, which, I presume, is the
most capacious, with these Qualifications, that hath yet been built; and yet at
a solemn Time, when the Church was much crowded, I could not discern from a
Gallery that 2,000 were present. In this Church I mention, though very broad,
and the middle Nave arched up, yet there are no Walls of a second Order, nor
Lanterns, nor Buttresses, but the whole Roof rests upon the Pillars, as do also
the Galleries; I think it may be found beautiful and convenient, and as such,
the cheapest of any Form I could invent.'
The development of St. James's
Square and its environs after the Restoration, together with the increase of
building in other parts of the Bailiwick of St. James, created a need for extra
church accommodation within the parish of St. Martin in the Fields. Earlier in
the seventeenth century a similar expansion had taken place in the east region
of the parish, on the Bedford estate, and the church of St. Paul, Covent Garden,
had been erected to meet the needs of the new suburb. The scheme for erecting
new churches in the bailiwick was slow in coming to fruition, but eventually two
were erected, St. James's, Piccadilly, consecrated in 1684, and St. Anne's,
Soho, consecrated in 1686.
The impetus for building a new
church and making a separate parish out of that of St. Martin in the Fields to
serve the suburb of St. James's seems to have come initially from the
inhabitants of the bailiwick. The first petition which they submitted to the
House of Commons for a Bill for this purpose was in 1664, but it was rejected,
and the Earl of St. Albans ultimately met the larger part of the cost of the
church.
Some time before 1674, a site for
the church, together with a churchyard and minister's house, between Piccadilly
and Jermyn Street, was offered by the Earl of St. Albans, on leasehold land held
by him as part of the Bailiwick of St. James, but until the freehold interest
was obtained the church could not be consecrated. In 1674, ten years after the
inhabitants first petitioned for a new church, the Earl applied to the Crown for
a grant of the freehold of the site, but the grant was not made until ten years
later, shortly before the church was consecrated in
1684."