Facilities and features
Accessibility
These are located in the Standering Hall in Audus Street next door to church.There are Mens Ladies children and disabled toilets available.
We have baby changing facilities.
If you need any assistance in finding these they are situated in the Standering Hall next to the church building.
If you need any help please speak to one of our welcoming stewards who would be more than happy to assist you.
There is limited parking in the church car park. There is a pay and display car park next to the church and hall, which is free on a Sunday.
There are Disabled toilets in the Standering Hall next door to the church. If you require any assistance please speak to one of our welcoming stewards.
This is directly outside the Standering Hall at the bottom of Audus Street. However spaces are limited but the pay and display car park next door is free on a Sunday.
There is a ramp into church which gives full wheelchair access. The second door to the church can be opened very easily if you need this to happen to gain access.
We do have a hearing aid loop. If for any reason you can’t access it, just speak to one of our welcoming stewards and they will be able to assist you.
Assistance dogs are welcome
Our Building
There are two original windows made by the famous Victorian artist, Jean-Baptiste Capronnier, including the outstanding west window.
St James' was designed and endowed by James Audus, the prominent local philanthropist, and amateur architect, the church was consecrated in 1867. His aim was to provide a local church for the ordinary people of Selby free of 'pew rents' charged by Selby Abbey at that time; it became known as 'The Railwaymen's church.' St. James' is
a good example of the principles and taste of the Ecclesiological Society and an outstanding achievement by a little-known amateur. Features include hammer-dressed stone; Ashlar dressings; pitched slate roof; tile cresting;
Nave, chancel, lean-to aisles, "transepts", porches and west tower. Early English style, with richly "Ecclesiological" interior.
Fittings include exterior boarded doors with ornamental wrought iron hinges; an exceptional wood and brass lectern; marble reredos; good woodwork, especially the characteristically mid-C19 clerks desks and stalls; very distinctive and delicate ironwork surrounding pulpit and incorporated into the communion rail.
The tower west window has glass by the renowned Belgian stained-glass painter Jean Baptiste Capronnier.
The spire was lost in a tragic accident in 1944 and never rebuilt.
Music and Worship
We have a set of chimes in the church tower.There are 10 bells in total.
Smaller than a Carrillon they are played by striking a large handle set out like a piano keyboard.
One bell can be rung separately from the church tower room on the ground floor . This is sometimes rung 5 minutes before the service.
St James offers contemporary worship every Sunday morning and we have a worship band with a Keyboard, Bass, Clarinets and drums, and singers.
Groups, Courses and Activities
We have several Cell Groups that meet during the week to discuss the previous Sunday's passage and talk, worship and pray. Some groups meet in the evening and some during the day.
Help for Visitors
Other Features
Where possible we use only Fairtrade products when we have Tea and Coffee after church in the hall.
We have a box at the back of church for donations for Selby District Food Bank .
All donations are very gratefully received and in previous years we have donated our annual Harvest Festival to this very worthy cause.
All our songs and liturgy is displayed on large screens within the church. Sometimes videos and other media are shown again on the large screens in church.
For enquiries for hall hire email: [email protected] or call 01757 709678 (answerphone out of hours)