St James the Great, South Stoke
Services
The pattern for the principal Sunday service at 9.30 am is as follows:
1st Sunday A sung Holy Communion, Common Worship (CW) Order One
2nd Sunday A Service of the Word
3rd Sunday A Service of the Word
4th Sunday An All Age Worship Service
5th Sunday A BCP 1662 Morning Prayer
Additional services are held in Holy Week, at Christmas and on one or two other occasions each year like Ascension Day and Ash Wednesday. Lessons are read and the intercessions are led by lay members of the congregation.
The consecrated elements of the Eucharist are reserved in the Lady Chapel at the east end of the south aisle.
There is a small robed choir and vestments are worn for all services except the All Age Worship service. All services are accompanied by music and hymns. The New English Hymnal and BBC Songs of Praise are used.
About Us
The church is recorded as one of the earliest in the Bath Deanery and is the ‘mother church’ of Holy Trinity, Combe Down and St. Michael’s, Monkton Combe. All that remains of the Norman church, which was built by Bath Priory, is the Norman doorway, dated 1160 -1170, and the baptismal font. The stone pulpit belongs to the 15th century and the tower dates from the early 16th century. It houses three bells, rung regularly at most services. The architecture of the present building is Neo-Gothic and dates from 1845 when a major restoration was carried out. An arcade and south aisle were added, the chancel rebuilt and the north and south facing windows inserted. In 1953 a Lady Chapel was created at the east end of the south aisle.
The church is situated in the centre of the Conservation Area of South Stoke and is a Grade II* Listed Building. It is kept open during daylight hours all the year round. The churchyard is closed except for the interment of ashes.
The PCC has carried out a re-ordering project to provide a hospitality unit in the south-west corner of the church and has removed all the pews from the south aisle in order to enhance the presence of the Lady Chapel and creating a comfortable carpeted area with chairs where refreshments can be served and a variety of activities (occasional or pastoral services, a retreat for prayer and meditation, concerts, events for children etc.) could be accommodated.
In 2010 St James’ celebrated the 800th anniversary of the appointment of the first known incumbent.