St. James' Church, Delhi

St. James' (also known as Skinner's Church) in India, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city,[1][2] and part of the Church of North India Diocese of Delhi.[3] It is situated near Kashmiri Gate, at the intersection of Church Road and Lothian Road. It was the church the Viceroy of India, attended until the Cathedral Church of the Redemption, near Gurudwara Rakab Ganj, was built in 1931.[2] The only other church of that era, the St. Stephen's Church, at Fatehpuri, Delhi was built in 1867.[4] Behind the church is the bungalow of British Commissioners of Delhi, William Fraser, who is also buried in the church graveyard.[5]

St. James' Church
St. James' Church, Delhi
LocationDelhi
CountryIndia
DenominationChurch of North India
ChurchmanshipEnglish Church
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Administration
DioceseChurch of North India diocese of Delhi
St. James' Church.

History

Subsequently, he built the edifice at his own expense of 95,000 Rupees, under the design of Major Robert Smith. The construction started in 1826, and was completed in 1836. The basic design of Renaissance Revival style church is on a cruciform plan (Greek Cross), with three porticoed porches, elaborate stained glass windows and a central octagonal dome, similar to that of the Florence Cathedral in Italy.[6][7] It was consecrated on 21 November 1836 by the bishop of Calcutta Daniel Wilson.[1]

John Mitchley Jennings took over the edifice after Skinner.

Skinner's Church c. 1858 photographed by Harriet and Robert Christopher Tytler

The copper ball and cross on the top, which are said to be replica of a church in Venice, were damaged during the 1857 revolt, and were later replaced.[8] A special service was held in 2003, to commemorate 200 years of Skinner's Horse, the cavalry regiment raised by Skinner in 1803.[9] Amongst those present were Margaret Skinner, great great granddaughter-in-law of Skinner, Admiral Sushil Kumar, retired Chief of Naval Staff, Col. Douglas Gray who commanded Skinner's Horse from 1935 to 1947, and several former British officers.[10]

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Christianity in India
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Denominations

Saint Thomas Christian denominations

Syro-Malabar Catholic, Syro-Malankara Catholic, Latin Catholic

Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

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Malabar Independent Syrian Church

Chaldean Syrian

Mar Thoma Syrian, St. Thomas Evangelical

Protestant denominations
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran, Assemblies Jehovah Shammah, Christian Revival Church, Church of North India, Church of South India, Garo Baptist, Indian Brethren, Indian Pentecostal Church of God, Church of God (Full Gospel), North Bank Baptist Christian, Northern Evangelical Lutheran, Methodist Church, Presbyterian, The Pentecostal Mission, Seventh-day Adventist, United Evangelical Lutheran
Organisations

Service Timings

Winter Timings (October - March): Worship at 9 a.m.

Summer Timings (April - September): Worship at 8:30 a.m.

Graves
Tomb of William Fraser at St. James' Church, near Kashmiri Gate, Delhi

The church houses several tombs. One houses the remains of the British Commissioners of Delhi, William Fraser, near the large Memorial Cross erected in memory of the victims of 1857 revolt. At the rear is the tomb of Thomas Metcalfe, who lived in Delhi from 1813 to 1853, serving as Agent to Governor General of India and a Commissioner.

Colonel James Skinner's grave at St. James' Church, near Kashmiri Gate, Delhi

Skinner died at Hansi on 4 December 1841 at the age of 64, and was first buried there. Later he was disinterred, and buried in Skinner's Church on 19 January 1842 in a vault of white marble immediately below the Communion Table.[1][11][12] North of the church lies the family plot, Skinner family, where many of his fourteen wives and many children, are buried, the burial in this place was that of a lady who died in England, but wished that her ashes be interred here.[13]

Relics

The church boasts of relics such as; "original European stained-glass windows depicting the crucifixion, ascension of Christ and his resurrection, a painting titled 'The Prodigal Son', original work of Italian painter Pompeo Batoni, a processional cross gifted by Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, a rare pipe organ gifted by Ralph T. Coe in 1899, and the church bell". All are in the process of restoration, including the church itself, scheduled for 2017, as the church due to its historical significance, falls under Grade II heritage buildings category.[14]

Sources
  • St. James' Church, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 1836-1986, 21st November commemoration of the 150th anniversary of consecration. Published in 1986, The Church, Delhi.

References
  1. Skinner's Tomb, St. Jame's Church, Delhi British Library.
  2. Now St. James's Church in Kashmere Gate is the oldest church in Delhi The Hindu, Monday,St. James Church also formerly known as 'Skinner's Church' is situated at the junction of Lothian Road and Church Road in Delhi and is easily approachable by local transport and from Kashmiri Gate Metro Station 5 March 2007.
  3. Churches in Diocese of Delhi Archived 10 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Diocese of Delhi website.
  4. St. Stephens' Church
  5. William Frazer's Bungalow Delhi, by Patrick Horton, Richard Plunkett, Hugh Finlay. Published by Lonely Planet, 2002. ISBN 1-86450-297-5. Page 91.
  6. No.3. Skinner's Church, Delhi. British Library.
  7. Sightseeing in Delhi
  8. St.James's Church, Delhi, showing damage caused by the Mutiny fighting British Library.
  9. Bicentennial plaque at St James' Church
  10. Skinner's Horse... the memory lives on The Hindu, Monday, 24 November 2003.
  11. St Jame's Church, with tomb of William Fraser British Library.
  12. Gravestone of James Skinner
  13. Cemetery Details - St. James' Church, Delhi indian-cemeteries.org.
  14. St James, Delhi's oldest church set to get a facelift
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