St James' Church, Stirchley

St James' Church, Stirchley
St James Church
St James' Church, Stirchley Location in Shropshire
Coordinates: 52°39′26″N 2°26′43″W / 52.6573°N 2.4452°W / 52.6573; -2.4452
OS grid reference	SJ 699 067
Location	Stirchley, Shropshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
History
Dedication	Saint James
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	8 April 1983
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Georgian
Groundbreaking	12th century
Completed	1838
Closed	1975
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone chancel, Brick nave and tower with sandstone dressings

St James' Church is a redundant Anglican church in Stirchley, Shropshire, England. Stirchley was formerly a separate village but is now part of the new town of Telford. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The churchyard is designated as a Scheduled ancient monument.

The church was built in the 12th century. In about 1740 the masonry of the nave and tower was encased in brick, and the tower was heightened. A north aisle was added in 1838 for the use of the workers in the local Old Park Ironworks, owned by Thomas Botfield. The church was declared redundant on 1 November 1975, and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on 30 March 2006.

The plan of the church is simple, consisting of a nave with a north aisle, a chancel, and a west tower. The chancel is in Norman style, and constructed in squared yellow sandstone blocks. The nave and tower are in Georgian style, and constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings. The chancel has round-headed lancet windows, and one south window with Y-tracery. In the nave there are two round-headed windows, and there a more round-headed windows in the north aisle. The tower is in three stages. In the bottom stage is a round-headed west doorway, and above it in the middle stage is a large round-headed window. The top stage has round-headed bell openings on each side. On the summit of the tower is a pyramidal roof with a finial and a weathervane.