Church History

• • The foundation stone of the new church, which is dedicated to St. James, was laid on 30 September 1874. It was opened for worship in January 1876, although it was not consecrated until 27 April 1886. The foundation stone was laid by the wife of brewer and benefactor Mr Peter Walker. The church cost £1,145.00 to build.

  • The Church of Saint James was built in 1874 to designs of W Turner of Wrexham and extended by the addition of a chancel and south porch in 1875, and designated as a parish church in 1886.

    

  • The brass eagle lectern was donated to St James by Frances Jane Poyser in April 1892.

  • A harmonium was purchased in 1877 for £42.00. It was used until replaced by the current organ in 1905, which cost £205.00.

  • The pulpit was presented by the widow of Rev’d David Stanley Davies, the first incumbent, after his death in 1922.

  • This vicar also established the iron mission church at Rhosnesni in 1894 and the building of St Peter’s in Rhosrobin in 1898.

  • His successor at St James’ was Rev’d G R Davies who organised the building of St Margaret’s Church in Garden Village in 1928.

  • In 1963 St James’ vicar started fundraising for the new church of St John at Rhosnesni, which was eventually consecrated in 1974.

  • In the late 1960’s the old vicarage was sold of to the former Denbighshire County Council for Area Office accommodation for Social Services. On glebe land at the back of the church, a home for the elderly, Greenacres, and the Cunliffe Centre for the Handicapped were established.

  • In 1971 the Parish of Rhosddu was amalgamated with that of Wrexham.

  • The former Church Hall to the rear of the Church was sold off and proceeds used to build the present smaller Church Hall, which opened in 1974. The original building has a foundation stone dated 1^st October 1888.

  • Around 1992 the Church became Grade II listed.

  • In 1996 the church was re-ordered at a cost of over £36,000, with the pews at the front removed to provide a more useable space and the pews at the back removed to provide space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.