Building Name

Church of St James, Laird Street, Birkenhead

District/Town
Birkenhead
County/Country
Merseyside, England
Architect
Work
Completion
Listed
Grade II
Contractor
Walker, of Birkenhead

Begun in 1845 by C E Lang but left unfinished until 1858 when it was completed by Scott. Built on a site where eight roads converged at the north east extremity of the planned town and intended to serve those employed in the construction of Birkenhead Docks..

Both the listing text and the latest Cheshire volume of Buildings of England state that building began in 1845 to the designs of C E Lang and completed in 1858 by Walter Scott. Further, the Buildings of England states that the building was left incomplete, “with fowls occupying the nave and a goat having a partiality for the chancel,” quoting the Ecclesiologist. The reasons for the apparent abandonment of the scheme remain obscure. In 1848 the Ecclesiologist reported that the church “is now advancing towards completion.” The Stranger’s Guide to Birkenhead fails to mention any delay in construction or the involvement of Walter Scott in the completion of the church.

ST. JAMES'S CHURCH - This Church, which in style is early English, is situated in an area at the northern part of the town, where eight streets converge, and it is now so far advanced that a complete idea of its plan may be formed. The Church is dedicated to Saint James, the patron of the ancient Priory. It consists of a nave and aisles, a clerestory, a chancel forty feet in length, and of north and south transepts, in the latter of which are galleries, approached by external stone staircases, giving a novel and pleasing variety to the eastern part of the church. The aisles are divided from the nave by a range of piers, of bold and simple forms; from these spring the arches which carry the clerestory and roof. At the junction of the nave and chancel is moulded arch springing from reeded columns. The Chancel will have a three-light window, or triplet at the east end, and three coupled lancets in each of the sides; the spaces between these, internally, being arched and feathered, form, in conjunction with the windows, a series of columns extending the whole length of the chancel. The nave and aisles being unbroken, and unobstructed upon, except by benches, and a small gallery under the south-westernmost arch for the reception of an organ, afford an uninterrupted view from east to west. The entire length is 127 feet; the breadth of the church is 50 feet, and the transepts from north to south 86 feet. The height to the ridge of the roof is 50 feet. The tower and spire are placed at the west end of the north aisle, and rise to the height of 130 feet. On the south side is a porch, and at the east end are two entrances, with a vestment room and sacristy. The west window is of considerable magnitude; it consists of lofty lancets, which, together with the intervening arches, and a triangular window above occupy the whole of the west end. The roof, which is of characteristic pitch, bas no tie beams. There are flying buttresses—at once bold, effective, and of considerable projection - which springing from the walls of the aisles will, in addition to their utility in strengthening the fabric, give great diversity to the exterior, and completely remedy the defect so often observable in many other Churches of merit—the want of union, or connection between the stone part of the nave and the aisles. The stone for the whole of the fabric has been supplied from the neighbouring quarries at Flaybrick Hill. The walls are of coursed rubble, the quoins and dressings squared and tooled.  The Church, which is calculated to contain about 1000 adults, and 900 children was and has been endowed by William Potter, William Jackson, John, Macgregor Laird, and William Laird, Esqrs., who have included in the same beneficent contribution, a residence for the Clergyman.

The architect to whom this addition to the sacred edifices of Birkenhead has been confided, is Charles Evans Lang, Esq., a gentleman who has favourably distinguished himself by the construction of the immense piles of houses in the immediate neighbourhood of this Church. Messrs. Walker are the builders. The Birkenhead Dock Company, who are building several hundred dwellings for their workmen on the adjoining land, have liberally granted a site for Schools to be attached to this Church. They are to accommodate 500 children, and the funds for their erection will be principally contributed by the founders of St. James's Church. [William Williams Mortimer: The History of the Hundred of Wirral 1847, page 400-401]

ST JAMES, BIRKENHEAD, CHESHIRE is now advancing towards completion. Two sketches, kindly sent to us, enable us to give a partial account of it. It is a large cruciform First-pointed edifice; of the "uniform" school: i.e. there is a formal alternation of buttress and window all round. There is a nave with clerestory and aisles, of six bays: the transepts being most disproportionately low structures (not really more than chapels) at right angles to the easternmost bays. The clerestory windows are small equal triplets; the aisle windows are broad lancets, with hoods and jamb shafts, divided by pedimented buttresses, from which spring flying buttresses abutting on the clerestory. There is a porch in the westernmost bay. The south transept elevation comprises a large couplet of lancets, and a hooded quatrefoiled circle above. The chancel shows three bays with couplets of lancets in each; and a small sacristy to the south-west. There is a plain corbel-tabling all round the church. The west elevation is extremely ambitious, and, in proportion, unsatisfactory. The facade is flanked by chamfered buttresses, and is arcaded of seven, the second, third, and fifth arches being broader than the others, and pierced in a triplet. Above is a horizontal string, stopped in a flower at each end, and in the low gable is a spherical triangle, multi-foiled, with dog-tooth mouldings and a label. The tower is engaged in the west end of the north aisle - very thin and inadequate, and low. The lower stage is commendably plain: the belfry has single lancets pierced in a triple arcade. It is capped with a very thin octagonal spire, with four gable-lights, rather clumsily broached. Upon the whole the design is very unsatisfactory, and behind the age. We do not know who is the architect. Ecclesiologist Volume 8 1848 page 192-193]

ST. JAMES'S CHURCH - This Church is the best specimen of early English architecture, of modern date, in the neighbourhood; it consists of a nave, aisles, and chancel, and a clerestory with flying buttresses; the chancel is forty feet in length. In the north and south transepts are galleries approached by external winding stairs. The stone for this fabric was taken from Flaybrick quarries. The Church will hold about 1000 adults and 200 children, and was founded and endowed by William Potter, Esq, William Jackson, Esq, Macgregor Laird, Esq, and William Laird, Esq. The architect was C. E. Lang, Esq, of London; and the contractors the Messrs. Walker, of Birkenhead.  [Robert Hinton: The Stranger’s Guide through Birkenhead and its Environs etc. 1864, page 35]

Reference    William Williams Mortimer: The History of the Hundred of Wirral 1847, page 400-401
Reference    Ecclesiologist Volume 8 1848 page 192-193
Reference    Robert Hinton: The Stranger’s Guide through Birkenhead and its Environs etc. 1864, page 35
Reference    Hartwell/Hyde/Pevsner/Hubbard. Buildings of England: Cheshire 2011 page 138