St James’ Church, Sydney, Colonial Anglican church in Sydney, Australia
St James' Church at 173 King Street is a brick and stone building in the Old Colonial Georgian style, designed by Francis Greenway. Its facade has a triangular pediment with a white oval plaque reading "ST JAMES CHURCH", three arched windows with reddish brick surrounds, and four stone pilasters. A square brick tower with a clock face and a copper-green octagonal spire rises on the right; the long roof has small dormer vents.
Convict architect Francis Greenway drew plans in 1819 for a courthouse, but Commissioner John Bigge altered them to create an Anglican place of worship instead. After consecration in 1824, the building served as the principal Anglican church of the settlement for half a century.
The dedication honors Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles whose shrine in Santiago de Compostela draws pilgrims from around the world. Regular services for judges, lawyers, and doctors continue a long tradition that ties the congregation to the legal and medical professions.
The building stands in the business district near the law courts and Sydney Hospital, easy to reach on foot. Visitors can enter on most days but should check service times and behave respectfully inside.
The church was built with convict labour between 1820 and 1824, and its first service was held on 6 January 1822 while the building was still unfinished. The Sydney Gazette expected that, once fitted with stalls and galleries, it would hold 2,000 people. Its first rector, Richard Hill, started an infants' school in the crypt.
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