A church at the heart of our village

For generations, St James' Church has been at the heart of life in Staveley. It's where couples have been married, babies baptised, loved ones remembered, children have gathered from the local school, and visitors from around the world have stopped to admire its remarkable beauty.

Until recently, the church was open every day. It was a place to pray, reflect, or simply enjoy a moment of peace.

Today, its doors are largely closed.

Why is the church closed?

Following structural surveys, serious safety concerns were discovered with the church spire. The damage meant we had no choice but to close much of the building and restrict access while we work to secure its future.

The repair bill is significant... but doing nothing isn't an option. Without these repairs, this much-loved building and its remarkable heritage remain at risk.

More than just a building

When St James' closed, we lost far more than bricks and stone. Families have had to hold weddings and funerals elsewhere. When people from the village have died, there was no other place for people to gather, grieve, and support one another. Community groups lost a welcoming meeting place. Visitors continue to arrive hoping to see our nationally significant stained glass windows, only to discover the church is closed.

Perhaps the greatest sign of what this church means came from the children at Staveley's primary school. They asked their headteacher to make reopening the church their Charity of the Year because they want to help bring their church back to life.

That says everything.

A nationally important heritage building

St James' is home to beautiful Arts and Crafts treasures, including stunning stained glass windows designed by Edward Burne-Jones and made by William Morris & Co., together with exquisitely carved wooden furnishings.

Set within the Lake District National Park, these are works of national importance, yet they are currently hidden behind closed doors.

We want everyone (local people, walkers, pilgrims, visitors and future generations) to be able to enjoy them once again.

Why we need your help

We're a small rural church.

Our regular congregation is around 25 people, many of whom are retired. We simply don't have the fundraising capacity of larger churches in towns and cities.

Yet this building serves far more than those who worship here.

It belongs to the whole village.

Every donation, whatever its size, brings us one step closer to reopening the church.

How your gift will help

Your donation will help fund essential repairs to:

- Restore the church spire.

- Repair the historic lychgate.

- Protect nationally significant heritage.

- Reopen the church safely for worship, community events and visitors.

- Secure St James' for generations to come.

Please help us bring St James' back to life

Whether you have been married here, attended a funeral, visited to admire the Burne-Jones windows, found peace within its walls, or simply care about preserving our shared heritage, we'd love your support.

Together, we can reopen St James' Church.

Together, we can ensure this remarkable building continues to serve our community, and everyone who visits Staveley, for generations to come.

Thank you for being part of the story.