St James’s Church, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was consecrated on 13 July 1684 by Henry Crompton, Bishop of London. St James’s is part of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican communion and is the parish church for an area in Westminster which includes Piccadilly, St James’s, and parts of Mayfair and Soho.
In addition to its regular services, weddings and memorials, St James’s hosts an outdoor monthly Gospel service on the first Sunday each month from March to December.
As a church St James’s seeks to be a welcoming space for people to reflect, create and debate. We offer hospitality and accompaniment to people experiencing homelessness, living on low incomes, going through the gruelling asylum system or suffering from fragile mental health. For decades, St James’s has spoken out on issues close to its heart, especially those concerning refugees, asylum, LGBTQ+, earth and social justice. The church believes that part of its role in the city is to envision a more just society and a creative, open-hearted community, offering dignity and fulfilment for all regardless of background or belief.
With exceptional acoustics and a concert hall quality Fazioli piano, St James’s holds lunchtime recitals every Wednesday and Friday, as well as evening concerts, panel discussions, book launches and occasional exhibitions.
St James’s also welcomes visitors to a lunchtime food market Mondays-Thursdays in the courtyard offering freshly cooked food, 11am-3pm (exc Bank Holidays).
