Consecrated in 1836, the beautiful St. James Church was said to be an imitation of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Located at the intersection of Church Road and Lothian Road, this church was built by the Colonel James Skinner in a Greek cross design. Once when James Skinner was badly wounded in a war, he prayed to God and vowed that if he escaped death, he would build a church to commemorate his faith in God. Thus he constructed the St James Church.
Description
The grave of James Skinner is located in the complex of St James Church just in front of the altar. Designed in a cruciform plan, the altar of the church faces eastwards and the entrance towards the west. The dome of the church is crowned by a ball and a cross. The center of the church is octagonal with circular columns supporting the dome and the main seating arrangement is at the center of the dome.
History of St. James Church
Consecrated in 1836, the beautiful St. James Church was said to be an imitation of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Located at the intersection of Church Road and Lothian Road, this church was built by the Colonel James Skinner in a Greek cross design. In the early 19th century, James Skinner, who fought for Marathas after being refused an entry into the British army due to his mixed blood, with his father being Scottish and his mother a Rajput, was once badly wounded in a war. Left on the battlefield on the verge of death, he prayed to God and vowed that if he escaped death, he would build a church to commemorate his faith in God and where the British could pray on Sundays. Thus he constructed the St James Church.
The grave of James Skinner is located in the complex of St James Church just in front of the altar. The graves of his family members lie on the north of the church. Apart from the numerous graves of victims of 1857 war, the church contains the grave of one of the best British Commissioners of Delhi, Sir William Fraser.
Fast – Facts:
Consecrated in 1836, this beautiful church built by the Colonel James Skinner was said to be an imitation of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Following are some fast facts about St. James Church –
Location
Located at the intersection of Church Road and Lothian Road, this church is half a km away from Kashmiri Gate in Old Delhi.
Time to Visit
Open on all days of the year, round the clock, but preferably be there at the time of the morning and evening prayer. Admission is free and open to all, but the caretaker who opens the church needs to be tipped at least Rs 20. It takes around 40 minutes exploring this magnanimous church.
How to Reach
To reach the St. James Church, you can fly down to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. You can either avail of local buses from various points within the city to reach the monument, or hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or take the metro rail. The nearest functional Metro station is Kashmiri Gate, while the nearest railway station is the Old Delhi Railway Station.
Nearby Places to Eat
Some of the popular eat-outs near St. James Church are Karim Hotel, Ghantewala sweet shop, Paranthewali gali, Natraj hotel, Chor Bizarre of Broadway Hotel, Daryaganj’s Flora, Peshwari, Moti Mahal Restaurant, etc.
Nearby Attractions:
Following are some of the tourist attractions near St. James Church
Kashmiri Gate:
Located near the Inter State Bus Terminal, this was one of the important gates of Shahjahanabad as the royal processions of emperors used to pass through the gate on their trips to Kashmir or northern India.
Dara Shikoh Library:
Constructed by Shah Jahan’s liberal intellectual son and chosen successor, Dara Shikoh, is the Dara Shikoh Library of the Department of Archaeology, Delhi Administration.
William Fraser Bungalow:
Residence of Sir William Fraser, one of the finest British Commissioners of Delhi, William Fraser Bungalow is presently the administrative office of Northern Railway.
Lothian Cemetery:
Located on Lothian Road, Lothian cemetery is the first British cemetery of Delhi.
Jama Masjid:
The largest mosque of India, built by Shah Jahan, Jama Masjid was originally called Masjid-i-Jahanuma or the Mosque commanding a view of the World.
Chandni Chowk:
One of the oldest and busiest markets in central north Delhi, Chandni Chowk has a variety of shops selling books, clothing, leather goods, electronic goods, etc.
Salimgarh Fort:
Built by Islam Shah Suri, son and successor of Sher Shah Suri, on an island of River Yamuna in 1546.
Raj Ghat:
The most popular memorial in Delhi, Raj Ghat was set up in honor of the Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi.
