Church Of St James

SD 62 SE DARWEN CHAPELS

4/14 Church of St. James - GV II

Church, 1722, restored 1852-3, altered c.1878, altered and enlarged 1937-40 by Sidney Eaton (Pevsner). Ashlar with stone gable copings and some finials, slate roof with ventilator on the ridge. Simple rectangular 4-bay plan (with modern chancel, vestry (etc.) added at right angles at east end). Renaissance style, with some Gothic details. Low plinth with string course; side walls have Doric pilasters between the bays and coupled at the corners, simple entablature with plain frieze and moulded cornice (originally bearing flaming urn finials over all pilasters, only those at the west end and east gable now remaining), and in each bay a large round-headed window with keystone and 3 lights with trefoil-headed tracery. Entrance (originally in south side, replaced by window) removed c,1878 to centre of west end wall. This has Doric demicolumns flanking the doorway above which the centre portion of the gable breaks forwards slightly up to a modern bellcote on the apex, the centre and each side having large square-headed 5-light windows with trefoil-headed tracery. The addition at the east end has a hipped roof with a chimney and semicircular apse with domed copper roof but is otherwise of matching style and materials. Interior: entirely modernised; one late C18 memorial tablet on north wall. History: built on site of C16 chapel which had become dilapidated as a result of late C17 dispute over ownership between Vicar of Blackburn and local Nonconformist congregation who built Lower Chapel (q.v.) in 1719. Damaged by mining subsidence 1851. (References: W.A. Abram History of Blackburn 1877; J.G. Shaw Darwen and its People 1889).

Listing NGR: SD6957623070