Church Of St James'S Piccadilly

The Church of St James's Piccadilly is a Grade I listed parish church located in the City of Westminster, built between 1676 and 1684 by Sir Christopher Wren. This large church is constructed of red brick with Portland stone dressings and underwent restoration after war damage from 1947 to 1954. The west tower is positioned at the front of the west end, and the spire, originally added in 1699-1700, was destroyed during the war and rebuilt in 1968 by Sir Albert Richardson. The north and south lobbies were added in 1856.

The church features two tiers of segment-headed and semi-circular arched upper windows on the sides, along with a Doric porch. The east end has a broad tripartite window with Venetian windows set above it. Inside, the church is spacious, with square pillars supporting a gallery from which rise Corinthian columns leading to a barrel vault in the nave, intersected by transverse aisle vaults. The low segmental arched reredos includes carving by Grinling Gibbons. The church also contains fitting monuments, new pews, and light fittings. It was built in connection with Lord St. Albans' development of the St. James's area, with the interior layout designed by Wren to be the most practical for Anglican worship.