Church of St James the Greater

St James the Greater stands in Leicester, south of the city centre beside Victoria Park. Built in the late 19th century, it began as a wooden mission church before becoming a permanent stone building. The architect, Henry Langton Goddard, travelled to northern Italy and modelled the exterior on Torcello Cathedral. Inside, the decoration draws from churches in Venice and Florence. The foundation stone was laid in 1899 and the church was consecrated in 1901. The west front was added between 1911 and 1914 and dedicated by Bishop Edward Carr Glyn. In 1918 it became a parish in its own right. After falling congregations in the 1950s, Reverend Lawrence Jackson revived its fortunes and the church grew to have one of the largest congregations in the diocese. Today it remains an active parish with two church halls and hosts regular events. Inside, the church contains a pipe organ built by Stephen Taylor. The building’s Italian-inspired architecture and rich interior decoration make it a notable landmark in Leicester. Its position opposite Victoria Park offers visitors a quiet place to pause beside the busy London Road.