Visit a church: St James' Islington

"This 150 year old Islington church was built on land that was once owned by St Paul's Cathedral until they lost it when King Henry VIII was busy demolishing monasteries. This part of modern-day London was still farms owned by the cathedral when they were seized and sold to the City of London livery company, the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. The Clothworkers estate grew in 1563 when they were donated 60 acres of archery practice land by Dame Ann Packington. Jump forward a couple of hundred years, and the arrival of the Regents Canal spurred housing developments in this part of London, and the Clothworkers got to work."

"The history as a former Cathedral farmland is why so many of the streets have names like St Paul's Street, Mary Street, Bishop's Street, Canon Street, and the Packington Estate. Housing developments require services, and at the time, that meant a purpose-built church - and this was built in the style of 13th-century French Gothic by the Clothworker's architect, Frederick Porter. Which is probably why it externally appears to be much older than it actually is. Although built on an Islington estate owned by a City livey firm, it also has a second link with the City - its name."

"This is St James' church, and was named after St James in the Wall church on Monkwell Street in the City of London. That church had been bought by William Lambe in 1543 (and renamed Lambe Chapel). As part of the development of the Islington estate, the chapel's almshouses were demolished and the residents moved to the almshouses next to the new church. And Lambe Chapel itself was demolished shortly afterwards as well. Leaving St James' Church in Islington as its successor. And although it was a new church in 1875, it contains two relics from its ancestor - a stained glass window in a far corner, and above the door, a bust of William Lambe."

St Paul's Cathedral formerly owned farmland in this part of Islington that was seized during the Dissolution and transferred to the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. The Clothworkers received an additional 60 acres from Dame Ann Packington in 1563 and developed the estate after the arrival of the Regents Canal spurred housing. Street names on the estate reflect the former cathedral ownership. The Clothworkers commissioned a purpose-built church in 13th-century French Gothic style by Frederick Porter in 1875. The new St James' Church carries the legacy of St James in the Wall and retains a stained glass window and a bust of William Lambe.

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