St James
New Brighton, Merseyside
St James is a Grade 2 listed Victorian Gothic church, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, which has the tallest spire in Wirral.
It was the vision of a remarkable parish priest, Fr Thomas Mullins, who trained at the English College in Lisbon before returning to New Brighton, then a fashionable and expanding seaside resort with a growing Catholic population. Fr Mullins raised the money locally to build his great parish church.
Inspired by the Sacred Heart Basilica in Lisbon, it was designed by E Bower Norris and opened in 1935. Architecturally it owes much to Lutyens' famous but ultimately unexecuted design for Liverpool Cathedral, the crypt of which was being constructed across the Mersey at the same time. The debt to Lutyens is evident in the use of brick with spare stone dressings and in the design of the domes, particularly the two which flank the west end.
The church is built in a Roman baroque form and whilst the nave is plain the high altar is designed of beautiful Italian marbles the colours of which reflect the 1930s fashion for subtle pale greens and cream colours.
By contrast, the Lady Altar has a strong blue lapis lazuli front and the Sacred Heart altar is fronted with red stone. Fr Mullins brought a number of beautiful 17th century Portuguese statues to the church, that of the Virgin being particularly fine.
During the Second World War the church became known as the Dome of Home by sailors returning from the Atlantic convoys. Once the dome was spotted they knew they were safe from the German U boats.
The church was closed in 2008 because the cost of repairs was considered too great. A major local campaign was launched to save the church and in 2012 the Bishop of Shrewsbury established the church as a national Shrine Church dedicated to the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He invited the Institute of Christ the King to care for the church and begin its restoration. The Institute is an international order of young priests who celebrate the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine) and daily sing Offices in Gregorian Chant. In heritage terms, the services here are identical to those carried out when the church was built.