St James’ Church, Tebay

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Historical Environment Record No:
None
Parish:
Tebay
OS Grid Reference:
NY616044
Dale:
Westmorland Dales
Related to:

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Description

St James Church, Tebay. WDLP 2023

St James’ Church, Tebay (c) WDLPS, 2023

The foundation stone for this church was laid in 1878 and it was very much a ‘railway’ church, built on land donated by the North Eastern Railway Company, and with donations from railway company shareholders as well as local people. It sits on a slight hill at the foot of which ran the Lancaster and Carlisle railway line (now West Coast mainline).

The outside is of stone and the inside of London Midland Railway red and yellow bricks. The font and pulpit were carved from single pieces of Shap Pink Granite, seats were in the form of railway waiting room benches and the font cover in the style of an engine wheel.

St James’ Church was completed and opened in 1880; its architect was C. J. Ferguson. Up until it was built, Church of England worshippers had to go all the way to Orton.

The village of Tebay as a whole reflects the importance of the railway to the creation and development of the village. This includes Woodend Terrace, a row of tiny cottages that were an early railway-related investment by local landowner James Wharton. He built the houses in 1865 to rent out to newly arrived railway workers coming to Tebay to service the trains and passengers at this busy junction. Many more terraced houses built by the railway companies were to follow, along with a new hotel, school and Methodist Chapel.

Sources:

Historic England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1326774

YDNPA, A Way Through: Tebay (2023)

Location

The church is located in Tebay (CA10 3SP). About 100 metres down Church Street, there is a turning to the left, the church is about 50m down this access road. What3words: remission.tinted.shutting

Accessibility

There is a large roughly surfaced informal parking area outside the Tebay Club/ St James Church. There is level access to the church entrance via gates and paved pathway.