ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Surely this "gossip" cannot be true - that St James Church and grounds are UP FOR SALE, by Trevor Dawson, the estate agent?

This was being discussed in a gym in Accrington tonight!

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I doubt it. On their website tonight they are selling St James Mission site in Clayton for residential development, plus offices at St James's Chambers, Accrington and Cannon Street Baptist Church. That's about as close as it gets.

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It surely can't be St. James in Accrington as it is the Parish Church for Accrington.

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Sounds to me like someones heard half a tale, then Two @ Two make 5 atarah.:D

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I've checked the date - not yet 1st April. Is the drink getting to Atarah? What the hell was she doing in a gym? She's more at home stood at a bar.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

There's still a For Sale sign on Cannon Street Baptist Church, which I saw as I went past yesterday.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Update here re St James Church, Cannon Street, Accrington

Hyndburn Labour Group: ST JAMES CHURCH IMPROVEMENTS

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Re former Cannon Street Baptist, planning permission and listed building consent were granted on 7th August 2012 for change of use from place of worship to gymnasium.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Just out of interest the C of E have closed all three of the parish churches in Bacup, St Saviours, St John's and Christ Church

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Improvements to the grounds have now commenced.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Bit half hearted with their safety barriers - or are they just for leaning on and reading the paper?

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as you can see in pic 2 they are for leaning on and having a smoke.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I am beginning to think I am wasting my time putting local history matters on this website. All we seem to get is stupid comments.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

OK - so what's stupid about my comment re safety barriers?

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Its stupid because you have no idea why they are there but still felt the need to comment. They not even be in use at that time.

Please do carry on with the updates, a lot of people have spent a lot of time working on this project.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

It was a perfectly serious comment possibly made with too much levity - that path is clearly under construction so surely there should be safety barriers on both sides to stop folks tripping over those new kerbstones.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

That diagonal path on the right was 1/2 built then removed. I suspect because they put cheap concrete edging in instead of the correct stone that was supposed to be used.

Did you know that many of the tombstones are being buried here?

There is a row of them at the St James st side with another row buried underneath them.

I spoke to a lady who had done all the recording of the site beforehand and she was not pleased with what they were doing with the tombstones.
These tombstones are from prominent people in Accrington's history.

IMO there is plenty of room to put them out so they can still be seen by interested people without the need to bury them.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Hi, thank you, yes, am VERY much aware of all the renovations taking place. In fact it was myself who informed "the lady who has done all the recording of the headstones" about what was happening.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Re siting of headstones nearer to St James Street

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

This evening I realised that since 4pm some information signs have now been put on display. Was beginning to get dark as I passed and my camera flashed a few times so they are not wonderful, but quite legible for now. I will take some clearer ones tomorrow (Tues)

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Am I correct that the existing gravestones along the Holme Street side of the church are being resited? One of them is that of my great great great grandparents Edmund and Betty Pilling, grave 291 on Retlaw's diagram.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Hi, yes, all the headstones which have formed a "pathway" for many years have been moved. They have most certainly been recorded though, thats for sure, by a member of the LFHHS - (Lancashire Family History and Heraldry group).

No promises, but I will see if there is any way I can find out where your ancestors details are. (may not be able to get near enough to find out today, but ..... I WILL!)

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

The gravestone you mentioned is visible and has been relocated in a vertical position near the lower Cannon Street entrance. 19 of the 54 stones will be underneath another stone.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

What a shame they have not included a duck pond in the new scheme.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

i think pic to is superb!, busted
and i thought it relevant to the post, regarding the improvement work taking place, the pictures are of st james church, thats what the thread is titled, i dint feel that the picture or its comments detracted from any earlier post

plus made me giggle! nice 1

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

THANK YOU NEIL, FOR LOCATING IT SO QUICKLY.

To spw - this one is "yours" I believe. Seven have already been put into position, with another three about to be. Apparently these 10 were chosen because there are no inscriptions near the base of the headstone, so all inscriptions can be quite clearly seen. Yours will, in effect, be the 3rd one in, (from the existing path from Cannon Street), to the right of the path.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Sorry which pic are you referring to?

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

sorry the workman pic

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

it just sums up the "quirky british worker" not in a bad way but think back through the history of photography, and there must be a picture for every day of the week that a british worker as though "eeeee look, someone wi a camera, i know ill light a fag, have a break while i watch what there up to"

but is that what we see?

sorry thread wandering

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

OK so as I thought you were referring to the pics in post 10 and the comments in 11 and 12 which some people thought were stupid.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

yes, my fault for taking so long to answer, when i started typing, the other posts wasnt there lol

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Very thoughtful of you to post the photographs. Much appreciated. I have a 400 mile round trip to Accrington and time is spent visiting the living rather than the dead.
A little about Edmund. He was a collier who lived at Fig Pie Hall. He died shortly after receiving injuries during a ‘general scuffle’ outside a beer shop after intervening in an argument over a ferret. An inquest returned a verdict of Manslaughter. One William Grimshaw was subsequently tried and acquitted at Lancaster Assizes.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

See, so many tales to tell! Thanks for that information, very interesting. This is why it saddens me that 18 headstones are now out of view. I was told the ones which only had details near the top of the headstones are the ones they have kept upright. That must mean the ones BURIED must have A LOT of information on them which, although recorded, cannot be seen by interested relatives anymore.

Just attached a today's general view of the churchyard.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

The pictures do make it look like the finished job will be quite good.

I do wonder though, who's gravestones are buried?
Are there any from prominent people in Accringtons history buried?

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

The Diocese and their architect decided which to bury based on condition and the actual engraving on the stones but I don't have a list sorry.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

To spw

Your family headstone is now in position - yours is the one at the LH side.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Not sure about prominent, but, "Captains of Industry" - every probability.

Hopefully a leaflet/list will be made available listing ALL headstone details. Enquiries have been made, all decisions agreed upon, which cannot be changed, so we will just have to accept the decision. We must remember though that all the headstones HAVE been recorded very recently by the L.F.H.H.S. and so all we can do now is wait until the work is finished, when we will find out who the "missing" folk are.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Have you seen the edging for the path recently?
Along one edge there are gaps in it, these are not in the other side so seem to be rather puzzling?
I could understand them being on the other side, to allow drainage but not on the uphill side?

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Just a few more random views so you can see how the improvements are progressing.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Not sure if you have seen this drawing of the site before. I am not sure if this is an early draft or the current one they are working to or not sorry.

It mentions the 18 gravestones that will be laid under the 22 in the top left area of the drawing.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Thanks for that. Never seen it before.

Its interesting because it shows a second pathway, leading in the direction of the Bees Knees, but, there is no obvious sign yet they are going to create one?

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

As far as I know that plan is correct but there may have been small changes but I am sure the paths are as shown though. You can see they are making new entrances and improving the Cannon Street one. I am not sure if the Cannon Street one is moving slightly, I can't think where it is now in relation to the Church

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Atarah, has the church been sandblasted? The stonework looks lovely, it has that warm sandstone look to it.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I have attached a 'copy' of the report of the inquest published in the Blackburn Standard of 4th May 1853.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

so it was manslaughter, although it had nothing to do with the fracture?

interesting stuff though, thanks for sharing:)

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Hi, certainly not at the moment, but could have been done in the not too distant past, but you are correct, it does look good!

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

They are now digging the path which leads to the corner near the Bees Knees, so it looks like their sticking to the plan.

Retlaw

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Yep, thanks for that Retlaw. They have been working hard today cos this morning they hadnt even started digging it out. There was no sign of it around 9.30am. When I passed tonight, on my way home from work, they had done it! Have some photos, will add in a little while.

Also, two more headstones have been "found" - these are extra to the official noticeboard figures for "visible headstones" and I am led to believe an extra headstone has been "buried below ground level" making that a figure of 19.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

A few up to date photos from the St James's Improvement Scheme

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

When the case went to trial at Lancaster Assizes it was declared "No Bill" which I believe signifies insufficient evidence. Mr Grimshaw was aquitted.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

A few more photos from the last couple of days

The work is certainly beginning to take shape now. The men were working today in atrocious conditions!

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Few more photos to end the week off. Think the workmen deserve their Sat and Sun off. They have worked hard this week in some bad weather.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

The inspector of works will have a shufty tomorrow.

;):D

Thank you. x

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

It's coming on really well. We had a walk around the other day with a few people who are helping us with this heritage bid. Everyone was impressed.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

There are lots more of Atarah's pictures on this website HGSF

At the bottom of each page are dates with links to the next or previous days pictures.
New pictures are being added almost daily.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

After stopping work for the weekend, the workmen have been busy again today .....

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Have these been taken with your new camera June?:)

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

What's the bill for this little lot? Anyone got any ideas? And who's forking out for it...HBC..LCC...Lottery.....EU...(no, forget about the last 'un).

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I thought I posted that,

£60,000 HBC
£50,000 Community Spaces lottery funded secured by the Diocese
£40,00 Lancashire Environment Fund land tax money secured by Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum


HBC has legal responsibility for the upkeep of the closed church yard.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

OK..you may have done. But I didn't see it. Anyway, I'll take your word. But if HBC has responsibilty for upkeep, do they have a say-so on any future developments (assuming money is available, planning is not a problem and the diocese agrees)? There is alot of stuff that could still be done with imagination and money.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Hyndburn helped with the design so it would be safe, easy to maintain, comply with regulations etc

There is a plan on this page I linked to before St James Church 2012

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

More photos re the improvements around St James's churchyard

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

A few views of the church building itself and a few of "work in progress". Not as many workers on site today, they seemed to be concentrating on the area nearest to Warner St and also Holmes St.

If you look at photo no.1 you will notice the stainless steel modern type clock. One of our members, Owd Bert, told me today that he and some others from Accrington & Rossendale College were involved in the making of this. He will try and remember the approx date they did this work in the sheet metal department of the college.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Loved latest pictures 6 and 7 Atarah,Thats my son, also on pic 2 from Tuesday!
Keep the Photos coming!

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

A few more photos from Thursday 20th Sept.

INFORMATION RE THE HEADSTONES

Some of the headstones have been buried under those laid out flat, although these will be recorded and the information displayed in the church.

A small plaque will be displayed at 2 locations adjacent to the headstones that are visible within the grounds, to inform people that further information is held within the church regarding the headstones and burial records.

TREES

A total of 5 trees will be removed in the grounds of the church, but these will be replaced

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Why have they buried some of the headstones?:confused:

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

The answer to that is - I aint the faintest! I certainly dont agree with it. :confused: I would be really upset and annoyed if my family details on a headstone were buried under the ground!

Its ok to have information displayed in the church, but what if visitors to the town come on days when the church is not open to the public?

A total of 19 headstones are now out of sight for evermore.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I was thinking exactly the same as you.:(

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Have just found this when looking for something else (as you do!)

Its a short film on bell ringers coming to St James's Church. Not really about the improvements, but, it does show a few clips of the churchyard prior to alterations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FFeDa-epgA

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I am told one of the biggest problems with the previous refurb of the church yard which was done sometime in the 70's was the paths made of grave stones were very slippery.

I always found it strange that the stones were used for paths. I was always taught not to walk on graves out of respect.

It was decided and agreed by all involved that there were to many stones for them all to be visible without creating the same problems as before. The ones underground will be better preserved than those visible as they will not be affected by the weather. I believe the county archaeologist advised on the correct way to preserve them underground.

Interestingly 2 stones have been found that were buried some time ago that no one was aware of. These 2 stones are in very good condition so burying them is not a new idea.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Here are some more views of the work taken/taking place at St James's Church.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Great photos Atarah. Shame the gravestones can't be displayed above ground but the place is definitely looking better. I hope they give those doors a lick of paint before they finish.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

I think "rain stopped play" today. When I went past late afternoon, it was raining quite heavily and no sign of any workmen.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

A few more photos here. The weather has delayed work on the site, as the workmen havent been here all week (its now Thursday and they are back).

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Workmen back after delays due to bad weather.

Work seems to be concentrating on the lower part of the grounds, nearest to the steps in Church Street.

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Monday morning 1st October 2013

The workmen are starting on the flagging near the steps in Church Street/

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Few more photos taken Mon afternoon 1st Oct 2012.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

That seating looks about as uncomfortable as those marble monstrosities on Broadway.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Don't want to encourage the local drunks.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Just pop into the church and borrow one of the kneeling cushions :D

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Tues 2nd October, 2012

Flagging seems to be the "job for the day", and its beginning to look rather good.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Wednesday 3rd October, 2012

Lots happening today, seem to be concentrating on the new entrances into the grounds of the Church.

In photo no. 2 the remains of what once was the entrance into the grounds from St James Street is now vanishing forever. Even the original pathway through the grounds, once flagged, is now almost covered with grass. The clue to look out for is, you will notice on the pavement one of the "Acorn Trail" special flags. This just happens to be in front of what was the entrance!

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

And a few more from the 3rd October, 2012. The workmen have earned their wages today!

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

4th October, 2012.

Few more photos here from the improvement work being carried out in St James Churchyard.

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A few photos from Mon 8th October, 2012.

They seem to have worked hard today. Whoever has built up the rounded wall, by the steps in Church Street, has done a smashing job!

The whole site is looking good.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

OMG!!!!......it looks awful. Those gateposts look completely out of place. Is this going to be another British Museum job, where the wrong stone with the wrong colour was built into the central courtyard? These posts may well as be bright pink....I trust someone will halt this nonsense before it goes any further.

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Just showing how the entrance in Church Street has now changed.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

They do look aweful. Are they stone or concrete? What happened to the old ones?
Everything else looks so well done and in character, why do this?

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Can't help agreeing, chaps. Those flags and the ones on the "seating" do look like concrete. Hope it all weathers down and gets dirty quickly then it might not look so bad.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

It is all new sawn stone but will soon green up with all the trees around there which will tone it down a little looks a cracking job in the flesh though;)

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Thanks for that Dave, I know you have a professional eye for these things.

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Friday 12th October, 2012

More updates here

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Monday 15th October 2012

The workmen have done a lot of flagging today, the area nearest to Church Street steps is well on its way now, and they have flagged quite a large amount of the pathway from the church towards the new Holmes Street entrance.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Looks like the work is coming on well - it's bound to clash a little at first with the old stone wall but as Dave said it will soon mellow and blend in. I will look forward to going in and having a sit in there as I usually do when I come over -presume they haven't removed the benches...

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Yeh will be able to sit wi the Winos Di, They been moved from front of the market.:D

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Wed 17th October 2012

Lots of activity happening now.

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Friday 19th October 2012

Only two weeks work left now, they are really getting on with things.

Re: ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Monday 22nd October 2012

Steady progress now

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Tues 23rd October 2012

More photographs ......

ST JAMES CHURCH Accrington
 

Wed 24th October 2012

More photographs .....