St James

It contains fine murals, reredos and stained glass designed by Alfred O Hemming, and also a Minton tiled floor. St James’ was the vision of the 19th century founding fathers of New Brighton and contains many monuments to them.

This fine example of a Gilbert Scott church was the vision of James Atherton and the other founding fathers of New Brighton when they planned to create a fashionable ‘watering place’ on unpopulated sand hills and heathland on the Wirral side of the River Mersey in the early 19th century.

St James was opened for worship in 1856 and seated a congregation of 947. There are monuments to Atherton and the other great benefactors who enabled the church to be built and subsequently beautifully adorned.

The great Victorian church artist Alfred O Hemming was commissioned to design murals, the reredos and stained glass on a scale, and of a quality, rarely seen in a small town provincial church. Other features include a Minton tiled floor in the Sanctuary and a beautifully carved oak pulpit. 

Externally, the dominant feature is Scott’s spire which, at 172 feet high, is the tallest in Wirral and a nautical landmark.

The church has a strong musical tradition, with its choir regularly invited to sing Choral Evensong in cathedrals. St James’ also possesses a fine Bewsher & Fleetwood organ which is older than the church itself, having been transferred from the redundant St John’s Liscard in 2006.

The church is also the home of the New Brighton Heritage and Information Centre, where visitors can learn about the history and heritage of New Brighton and about the town’s current facilities and attractions.