St James' Church, Enfield Highway
Encyclopedia
St James' Church, Enfield Highway, is an active Anglican
church in Hertford Road, Enfield Highway
, Greater London. It is a parish church
in the deanery of Enfield, the archdeaconry of Hampstead, and the diocese of London
.
in 1831, on land given by Connop Woodham. It was consecrated in October 1831 and licenced for marriages in 1845. The architect was William Conrad Lochner (c.1779-1861), surveyor to the Royal Exchange Assurance Co., who designed a church in a very similar style at de Beauvoir Town
, Hackney, and restored St Andrew's church, Enfield. It was built from stock brick with stone dressings in a plain "Commissioners gothic" style with aisles and a western tower. Structural problems with the church soon emerged. In 1841 the Ecclesiologist magazine reported
"St James Enfield Highway which has been consecrated six or eight years, is already condemned as 'dangerous', since the heavy tied roof is threatening to fall in from the rotting of the ends of the beams, which are said to have been laid in the most disgraceful manner upon the mere damp brick-work"
The first incumumbent was T. W. Thirlwall. He was succeeded by Charles Warren, J. R. Nicholl and, in 1841, John Fuller Russell. Russell, who remained at the church until 1854 was a theological writer, committee member of the high church Cambridge Camden Society
and a notable collector of early religious art. In 1854 he published Obedience to the Church in Things Ritual: Two Sermons Preached in St. James's Church, Enfield Highway.
A large chancel was added at the expense of the Rev J. Harman in memory of his wife and consecrated in 1864.The east end of the church was seriously damaged by a fire in 1967, and the repairs included the removal of the chancel arch and extension of the sanctuary.
With its population of over 22,000, it is one of the largest parish
es in England. The church was been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in Hertford Road, Enfield Highway
Enfield Highway
Enfield Highway is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. It is roughly located in the area either side of Hertford Road between Hoe Lane and The Ride.-Etymology:...
, Greater London. It is a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the deanery of Enfield, the archdeaconry of Hampstead, and the diocese of London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
.
History
The church was built as a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
in 1831, on land given by Connop Woodham. It was consecrated in October 1831 and licenced for marriages in 1845. The architect was William Conrad Lochner (c.1779-1861), surveyor to the Royal Exchange Assurance Co., who designed a church in a very similar style at de Beauvoir Town
De Beauvoir Town
De Beauvoir Town is a district of the London Borough of Hackney that partly falls within the London Borough of Islington. Its borders are Kingsland Road in the east, Southgate Road to the west, the Regent's Canal in the south and Tottenham Road to the north...
, Hackney, and restored St Andrew's church, Enfield. It was built from stock brick with stone dressings in a plain "Commissioners gothic" style with aisles and a western tower. Structural problems with the church soon emerged. In 1841 the Ecclesiologist magazine reported
"St James Enfield Highway which has been consecrated six or eight years, is already condemned as 'dangerous', since the heavy tied roof is threatening to fall in from the rotting of the ends of the beams, which are said to have been laid in the most disgraceful manner upon the mere damp brick-work"
The first incumumbent was T. W. Thirlwall. He was succeeded by Charles Warren, J. R. Nicholl and, in 1841, John Fuller Russell. Russell, who remained at the church until 1854 was a theological writer, committee member of the high church Cambridge Camden Society
Cambridge Camden Society
The Cambridge Camden Society, later known as the Ecclesiological Society from 1845 when it moved to London, was a learned architectural society founded in 1839 by undergraduates at Cambridge University to promote "the study of Gothic Architecture, and of Ecclesiastical Antiques." Its activities...
and a notable collector of early religious art. In 1854 he published Obedience to the Church in Things Ritual: Two Sermons Preached in St. James's Church, Enfield Highway.
A large chancel was added at the expense of the Rev J. Harman in memory of his wife and consecrated in 1864.The east end of the church was seriously damaged by a fire in 1967, and the repairs included the removal of the chancel arch and extension of the sanctuary.
With its population of over 22,000, it is one of the largest parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es in England. The church was been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building.