Saint James' Church, Jamestown

Last updated

Saint James Church
Church059 Anglican-St James' Church Jamestown.jpg
Saint James' Church, in 1985
Saint James' Church, Jamestown
15°55′31″S5°43′05″W / 15.9253°S 5.7181°W / -15.9253; -5.7181
Address Jamestown, Saint Helena
Country British Overseas Territories, United Kingdom
Denomination Anglican
History
Dedication Saint James
Architecture
Completed1774
Administration
Diocese St Helena
Parish Saint James

Saint James' Church is an Anglican church on the island of Saint Helena and is part of the Diocese of St Helena. It is situated in the capital Jamestown and is the oldest Anglican Church in the southern hemisphere; the present building was put up in 1774. [1]

Contents

History

Oliver Cromwell granted a new charter to the English East India Company in 1657, which gave the company the right to fortify and colonize any of its establishments. Because of the strategic importance of Saint Helena as a fortress and staging post on the way home from India, the Company claimed the island on 5 May 1659. The building of the fort was commenced immediately and a little town sprang up in the valley with the chapel and was subsequently named Jamestown, after James, Duke of York. The valley, now generally known as James Valley, was called either Saint James Valley or Chapel Valley, after the chapel which was a prominent building as viewed from the bay.

In 1671, the East India Company sent the first of a long sequence of Church of England chaplains. The early, modest little church was replaced by a slightly bigger one in 1674, but was only later named Saint James' church. By 1774 the first parish church in Jamestown showed signs of decay, and so finally a new building was erected. Saint James' is the oldest surviving Anglican church south of the Equator. [2]

Alterations were made in 1843 and 1869. [3] The church once possessed a spire, but this had to be taken down in 1980 for safety reasons. [4] It was restored in 2020.

It is designated as a Grade I listed building, and is one of many listed buildings (a designation for buildings of historic or architectural merit) in Jamestown. [3] It is situated in the historic centre of Jamestown, close to the shore and to The Castle.

Parish

The parish of St James (one of three parishes on the island) consists of Saint James' Church and three daughter churches:

See also

Related Research Articles

Saint Helena has a known history of over 500 years since its recorded discovery by the Portuguese in 1502. Claiming to be Britain's second oldest colony, after Bermuda, this is one of the most remote settlements in the world and was for several centuries of vital strategic importance to ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa. Since the early 19th century, the British occasionally used the island as a place of exile, most notably for Napoleon Bonaparte, Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo and over 5,000 Boer prisoners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamestown, Saint Helena</span> Capital and chief port of Saint Helena

Jamestown is the capital city of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, located on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is also the historic main settlement of the island and is on its north-western coast. Before the development of the port at Rupert's Bay, it was the island's only port and the centre of the island's road and communications network. It was founded when colonists from the English East India Company settled on the island in 1659 and was briefly occupied by the Dutch East India Company in 1673 before being recaptured. Many of the buildings built by the East India Company in the 18th century survive and give the town its distinctive Georgian flavour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Walburge, Preston</span> Church in Lancashire, United Kingdom

St Walburge's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Preston, Lancashire, England, northwest of the city centre on Weston Street. The church was built in the mid-19th century to a design by the Gothic Revival architect Joseph Hansom, the designer of the hansom cab, and is famous as having the tallest spire of any parish church in England. St Walburge's is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool</span> Church in Liverpool, England

The Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas is the Anglican parish church of Liverpool. The site is said to have been a place of worship since at least the 1250s. The church is situated close to the River Mersey near the Pier Head. The Chapel of St Nicholas was built on the site of St Mary del Quay, which in 1355 was determined to be too small for the growing borough of Liverpool. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, and is an active parish church in the diocese of Liverpool, the archdeaconry of Liverpool and the deanery of Liverpool North. It is part of the Greater Churches Group. From 1813 to 1868 the Church was the tallest building in Liverpool at 174 feet [53 m], but then surpassed by the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Toxteth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Half Tree Hollow</span> District of Saint Helena

Half Tree Hollow is the smallest by area of the eight districts of the island of Saint Helena, part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a suburb of Jamestown and is situated at the top of Ladder Hill which forms the southern side of the James Valley, at the base of which sits Jamestown. The hill was fortified in the late 1700s and Ladder Hill Fort was subsequently built. The village grew during the 1960s because the James Valley lacked any room for expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Philip's Church (Charleston, South Carolina)</span> Historic church in South Carolina, United States

St. Philip's Church is an historic church at 142 Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Its National Historic Landmark description states: "Built in 1836, this stuccoed brick church features an imposing tower designed in the Wren-Gibbs tradition. Three Tuscan pedimented porticoes contribute to this design to make a building of the highest quality and sophistication." On November 7, 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption (Fall River, Massachusetts)</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, colloquially known as Saint Mary's Cathedral, is a historic church located in Fall River, Massachusetts. It is the cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Fall River. Built from 1852 to 1856, the cathedral and adjacent rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, as St. Mary's Cathedral and Rectory. It is the oldest extant church building in the city of Fall River, and was one of the city's first Catholic parishes. The cathedral is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus under the title of Our Lady of the Assumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of St Helena</span> Anglican see covering Saint and Ascension Islands in the South Atlantic

The Diocese of Saint Helena is an Anglican diocese within the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It covers the islands of Saint Helena and Ascension in the Atlantic Ocean and was created in 1859. St Paul's Cathedral is on Saint Helena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia)</span> Anglican parish established in 1610

St. John's is an Episcopal church located in Hampton, Virginia, United States, within the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. Established in 1610, St. John's is the oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk</span> Church in Lancashire, England

The Church of St Peter and St Paul is in the market town of Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. Dating from no later than the 12th century, it is one of only three churches in England to have both a tower and spire, and the only one to have them both at the same end of the church. It is an active Anglican parish church in the Diocese of Liverpool. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Knoll Fort</span>

High Knoll Fort is a redoubt-style fort of the English East India Company on Saint Helena, an island and British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. High Knoll is 584 metres (1,916 ft) above sea level and is approximately one mile (1.6km) south of historic Lower Jamestown. Reopened on 18 December 2010, it is now a tourist attraction for visitors, especially those on the tourist ships that come in the summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plantation House, Saint Helena</span>

Plantation House is the official residence of the governor of Saint Helena. It is located 3.6 km (2.2 mi) to the south of the capital, Jamestown, on the island of Saint Helena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Paul's Cathedral (Saint Helena)</span> Seat of the bishop overseeing the Anglican Church on two South Atlantic islands

Saint Paul's Cathedral is a cathedral church on the island of St Helena and is part of the Diocese of St Helena. It is located approximately 2 miles south of Jamestown in the district of St Paul's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Matthew, Hutt's Gate</span> Church in the British territory of Saint Helena

Saint Matthew is a church on the island of Saint Helena and is part of the Diocese of St Helena. It is situated in Hutt's Gate in the Longwood district. The church opened in 1862. It is designated as a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John's Church, Jamestown</span> Church in the British territory of Saint Helena

Saint John's Church is a church on the island of Saint Helena and is part of the Diocese of St Helena. It is situated in the capital Jamestown, in the Upper part of town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's Church, Burnley</span> Church in Lancashire, England

St Andrew's Church is in Colne Road, Burnley, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Burnley, the archdeaconry of Blackburn, and the diocese of Blackburn. Its benefice is united with those of St Margaret, Burnley, and St James, Burnley. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Lawrence's Church, Barton</span> Church in Lancashire, England

St Lawrence's Church is in Garstang Road, Barton, Preston, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Blackburn. The church was built in 1895–96, and was designed by R. Knill Freeman. It is constructed in sandstone, and consists of a nave, aisles, a chancel and a southwest steeple. The church holds services on Sundays and Wednesdays. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Anne's Church, Turton</span> Church in England, UK

St Anne's Church is a Grade II listed building in Chapeltown, Turton, in the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, England. It is an active Church of England parish church in the Diocese of Manchester and is part of the Deanery of Walmsley and Archdeaconry of Bolton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Anne Church (Waterbury, CT)</span> Church in CT, United States

Saint Anne Church, formally the Shrine of Saint Anne for Mothers, is a Roman Catholic church located in the South End neighborhood of Waterbury, CT, part of All Saints Parish. Saint Anne Parish was founded in 1886 to serve city's the French-Catholic population. For nearly 100 years, two 100 foot steeples served as a prominent Waterbury landmark; however, due to ongoing structural problems, the spires were carefully removed in 2019 and stored for possible reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parish Church of St. Helena</span> Historic Anglican church in Beaufort, South Carolina, United States

The Parish Church of St. Helena is a historic Anglican church in Beaufort, South Carolina. Founded in 1712, it is among the oldest churches in the United States. Its building—erected in 1724 but expanded and substantially modified in the 19th century—is among the oldest continuously used church buildings in the United States. The church is a contributing property to the Beaufort Historic District, and the broader parish encompasses several sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Beaufort County.

References

  1. "St. Helena, Jamestown, St. James' Church". 25 April 2010 via Flickr.
  2. "Anglican Diocese of St Helena | Anglican church in Island of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean | Powered by Net Ministries". www.netministries.org.
  3. 1 2 Land Planning and Development Control Ordinance Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine Appendix 3: Listed Buildings
  4. Flickr Photo showing the former spire