Church of St James the Great, Darlington

Church in Darlington, England

54°31′59″N 1°32′19″W / 54.53292°N 1.53868°W / 54.53292; -1.53868LocationAllen Street, Albert Hill, Darlington, DL1 2LDCountryEnglandDenominationChurch of EnglandChurchmanshipTraditional CatholicHistoryStatusActiveConsecrated30 August 1876ArchitectureFunctional statusParish churchHeritage designationGrade II listedArchitect(s)Ross and Lamb, DarlingtonGroundbreaking14 April 1875Completed30 August 1876SpecificationsLength104 feet (32 m)Nave width21 feet (6.4 m)Spire height148 feet (45 m) (planned)AdministrationDioceseDiocese of DurhamArchdeaconryArchdeaconry of AucklandParishSt. James, Albert HillClergyBishop(s)The Rt Revd Stephen Race SSC (AEO)Priest in chargeFr Michael Way BD AKC

The Church of St James the Great is a Church of England parish church in Darlington, County Durham. The church is a grade II listed building.^[1]

History

The parish was created in 1872 when it was taken out of the parish of St John's Church, Darlington. The plans for the new church were drawn up in 1873 by the architects Ross and Lamb of Darlington and the foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Darlington, H.F. Pease on 14 April 1875. Simpson and Cowling were the contractors responsible for the masonry. The joinery was undertaken by R.T. Smith. The slating was given to Pattison and Son and the plumbing and glazing to R. Smith. The clerk of works was Mr. Davison. All of the contractors were local employers.

The church was built in a cruciform shape with an aisleless nave.^[1] It was consecrated by the Bishop of Durham Rt Revd Charles Baring on 30 August 1876.^[2]

On 28 April 1952, the church was designated a grade II listed building.^[1]

Present day

In 2012, the parish priest and at least 50 members of the congregation left St James' and the Church of England to join the Ordinariate of the Roman Catholic Church.^[3]^[4]

The parish stands in the Traditional Catholic tradition of the Church of England.^[5]^[6] As it rejects the ordination of women, the church receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Beverley (currently Stephen Race).^[7]

Organ

A pipe organ was installed in 1900 by Lewis and Co and dedicated on 28 June 1900 by the vicar of Darlington, Revd. F.W. Mortimer.^[8] The specification can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.^[9] This organ was later sold to St Andrew's Church, Ingleby, Greenhow in North Yorkshire and replaced by an electronic instrument.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Historic England. "Church of St James (1121347)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
^ "Consecration of St James's Church, Darlington". Northern Echo. England. 31 August 1876. Retrieved 1 January 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ Copeland, Alexa (15 August 2014). "A new chapter for St James the Great Church in Darlington". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
^ "Darlington church hopeful despite split". Church Today. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
^ "St James the Great, Darlington, Darlington". A Church Near You. Archbishops' Council. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
^ "Parish Profile: The Parish Church of S James the Great, Albert Hill, Darlington" (pdf). Diocese of Durham. 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
^ "St James, Darlington". See of Beverley. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
^ "St James' Church, Darlington". Northern Echo. England. 28 June 1900. Retrieved 1 January 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ "NPOR [N04194]". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies. Retrieved 1 January 2020.