St. James

Introduction

Saint James in Reading, within the Diocese of Portsmouth, was built between 1837 and 1840 and was the first church design of Augustus Welby Pugin.

History

The foundation stone was laid on 14 December 1837, and the church was opened on 5 August 1840 by Bishop Thomas Griffiths. In 1962 the north aisle, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, was added, completing the essential structure of the building. The church was built between 1837 and 1840 within the ruins of the pre-Reformation Reading Abbey, partly from stones from the Abbey ruins. Pugin's original Norman-Romanesque building comprised the nave as far as the glass-panelled double doors, possibly with a narthex, and the font within the body of the church. In the 1970s the altar was brought forward, the pulpit was remodelled to become the new lectern, and the baptismal font was relocated to the front of the north aisle.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of flint with Bath stone ashlar dressings and has a Roman tile roof. The church has a belfry to the west, a round-headed clerestory with continuous impost string, and five bays. The west front has an oculus at the top, a large round-headed window with flanking blind arcade, and a projecting porch with a round-headed doorway with two orders of chevron. The east end has three apses, the centre with an ambulatory.

The north-east pier contains a fragment of beaded C12 carving. The interior has a wooden roof and a vaulted apse.

The parish maintains a Musicians/Choir group among its active groups. The original church building included an organ and choir loft at its west end.

Parish life

Faith In Action seeks to embody the Christian call to love one's neighbour through compassionate, practical efforts locally and internationally. The parish took part in the Diocese of Portsmouth's Synodal Pathway, with the Leadership Team gathering parishioner and group responses for submission to the diocese. A 360 Church View and Virtual Tour Page is planned for the church.