St James' Bicentenary - Mallow Union of Parishes

Have you got any pictures or stories?

It would be wonderful to gather together lots of photos, newspaper articles and family stories about our church and the community to celebrate this momentous event.

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Opening the church hall 1981

Sunday School outing 1986

Confirmation 1990

Christening 1990

Confirmation 2010

Mallow Star 27 July 2023

The Corkman 12 August 2021

The Corkman 26 August 2021

The Corkman 2 September 2021

The Corkman 20 July 2023

Vale Star 27 July 2023

St James’ Church was consecrated in 1824 which means it will be 200 years old in 2024. St James’s replaced an earlier church dedicated to St Anne. The shell of this building still stands to the East of the present church

Situated as it is, just off the main thoroughfare overlooking the town park and river blackwater, Mallow’s Church of Ireland, St James’ Church is a typical example of an early 19th century building. The Gothic design is of limestone construction with cut stone buttressed corners, and pointed arched doors and windows. A feature of churches designed by Pain Brothers and of churches in general built around that time was the importance placed on the entrance gateway which was usually designed to complement the building therein. In this regard St. James was no exception. The cut limestone piers and impressive iron gates were originally on the Main Street but were re-located to their present position by the Urban Council in 1983. Its impressive square tower and ribbed spire is a focal point over a wide area. Though not in the more usual cruciform design its regular shape is nevertheless an imposing structure. Internally the Gothic style is evident. Its pointed arched roof structure and stained glass windows dominate.

What are the origins of St James’ Church

St. James’s church was consecrated and opened in 1824. It replaced St. Anne’s Church which had been damaged in the Williamite wars and by 1817 was thought to be beyond repair. On the 29th August 1818 a contract was signed to build a new church. In a lengthy document prepared by George Baggs, a solicitor then operating at Shortcastle, the contract “To build and completely cover in, staunched from all wet and drips and finish upon ground belonging to the parish of Mallow, a parish church and vestry room and steeple for the parish of Mallow.”

Who provided the land for the building of St James’ Church?

The church is built on land provided by the Jephsons of Mallow Castle, adjacent to the old St Anne’s Church and graveyard.

Who were the builders of St James’ Church?

The builders were James Pain and George Richard Pain, Architects, operating in Cork and Limerick. The Pain Brothers were born in England and were apprenticed to John Nash, Architect London. In 1816, Nash designed Loughcutra Castle in Co Galway for Lord Gort and the Pain Brothers were recommended as builders. As a result they were appointed official architects/builders for the Board of First Fruits, a body responsible for construction of Church of Ireland buildings from the late 18th century until its duties were taken over by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1833. This appointment was for the Province of Munster and other churches built by them included Buttevant, Midleton, Carrigaline and Mitchelstorn in Co Cork. They also designed the Spa House, Mallow. In Cork city they built the City Jail (1818), Holy Trinity Church (1825), Blackrock Castle (1828), Court House (1835) and St Patrick’s Church (1836).

What did it cost to build St James’ Church?

The contract price was £3,700 stg. The eventual total cost amounted to £3,415.7s.8¼d.
A condition of the contract was that tradesmen and labourers of the parish of Mallow be employed in preference to tradesmen from any other parish, town or place provided they are as good and would work at the same rates.

How big is St James’ Church?

The dimensions of the church are, length 120 ft., width 50, height to eve 23 ft., to apex 35 ft., Spire 120 ft.
The capacity of the church was originally 800, some time after 1869 the old side galleries were removed and ancient square pews were replaced by modern ones. The floor was tiled, stained glass windows were put in, gas and hot water heating were installed. In 1892 the capacity of the church was:- Right side 171; Left side 177; Gallery 114 – total 462.
The reduction in the capacity of the Church coincided with a reduction in the number of Church of Ireland families in the 19th century. In the 1830’s there were approx. 1,000 families in the Mallow area and by 1875 this was reduced to around 450. Part of this could be attributed to the famine, and some could also be due to the reduction of military personnel stationed in the town.

When was the organ installed in St James’ Church?

In 1875 a new organ was installed by Messrs. Forster and Andrews and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners awarded an annual grant of £20 for the Pianist. This organ was installed in what was originally the Church Wardens room.

When was electricity installed in St James’ Church?

1931.

Rev. Nicholas Wrixon was the first Rector of St. James and had been Rector of St. Anne’s since 1808, and the Churchwardens were John Gardiner and Richard Barrett.

Rectors of Mallow since 1298

1298	Geoffrey Le Hore
1301	Henry Thrapeston
1376	Richard Caveton (Prior of Bridgetown)
1391	(The Church at Mallow pertains to the College at Youghal) – Records lost
1615	George Bradford
1634	Thomas Fisher
1655	Thomas Pierce)
1656	John Mascall ) Dissenting Ministers Intruded by Cromwell
1658	John Norcott )
1661	John Norcott
1663	Thomas Sesson
1667	James Cox
1687	John Balkeley
1692	(The old Church (St Anne’s) rebuilt after the Williamite War)
1702	Henry Maule (became Bishop of Cloyne – 1726; Dromore – 1731; Meath – 1744-51
1720	Simon Gibbings
1721	George Chinney MA
1745	Norris Jephson BA
1764	Edmund Lombard
1772	James Mackler, LLB. (became Archdeacon at Cloyne)
1779	William King MA
1808	Nicholas Wrixon
1824	(Present church built for £3,415)
1828	Sackville Robert Hamilton
1853	Allen Robert Cliffe
1873	Robert Cooper Wills MA (Archdeacon of Cloyne 1890)
1872	United with Rahan
1873	United with Mourne Abbey
1882	United with Carrigarnleary
1909	William Edward Flewett MA BD (became Archdeacon of Cork & Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross)
1913	Samuel HP Harman MA (Canon of Cloyne)
1940	Claude Lionel Chevasse MA B.Litt.
1944	Arthur Reginald Nash MA L.T.H
1950	Robert Harris Bryan MA
1955	Frederick Henry Garrett BA
1975	Joseph J Perrott
1978	Nicholas Marshal Cummins
1983	Charles C. Ruddock D.B.S.
1992	Anthony G.S Whiting
1998	Robert G Kingston T.C.D.
2008	Denis F A MacCarthy BD.
2010	Eithne E M Lynch B.Th. (Canon of Cork, Cloyne & Ross)

Stained Glass Windows in St James’

In the Chancel – The northern window reads “To the glory of God and the beloved memory of Arthur Jermy Mounteney Jepson Bubarika Sonao MBele – Born October 8th 1858 – Died October 22nd 1908” (See below.)

In the Chancel – The southern window reads “To the glory of God and the beloved memory of Arthur Desmond Mounteney Jephson-Norreys – Born May 11th 1905 – Died May 7th 1938”

On the northern wall, another stained glass window reads: Erected to the memory of James Tarrant and John Carberry by the Executors of the will of James Tarrant, July 1890

nave; south aisle; south; 3rd from east; Two lancets, 3020mm x 660mm and nine tracery-lights. PATRONAGE In memory of Ada, wife of James J. Dudley. STUDIO Watson & Co., Youghal (sgn) DATE 1907 (mem) ICONOGRAPHY Baptism of Christ

chancel; east; Three lancets, 3530mm x 610mm; 4320mm x 690mm; 3530mm x 610mm. PATRONAGE In memory of Charles Denham Orlando Jephson Norreys of Mallow Castle. STUDIO Heaton, Butler & Bayne, London (sgn) DATE 1903 (insc) ICONOGRAPHY Sermon on the Mount Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican left, predella Christ and the Rich Man centre, predella Parable of the Good Samaritan right, predella

north transept; north; Detail of right hand Lancet

Images + info from: https://www.gloine.ie/ Project by the Church of Ireland

Notable personalities associated with St James’ across the years

Arthur Jermy Mounteney Jephson (known by his African nickname as Bubarika Sonao MBele)

He was a colleague of the world famous explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley. A Welshman, Stanley (born 1841) led several expedition expeditions in search of another famous explorer, Dr. Livingstone, and from which originated the famous exclamation “Dr. Livingstone I presume.”
On Sir Stanley’s last trip to Africa in 1887 in which it was intended to rescue Emin Pasha (born Edward Schnitzer in 1840) a German explorer who had been cut off from civilization by a native uprising, Stanley was accompanied (with others) by A.J. Mounteney Jephson, who, though born in Essex was of the Mallow Jephsons. The mission was successful and Emin Pasha was rescued in 1888.
(Arthur Desmond Mounteney Jephson-Norreys was a son of the explorer and was killed in an underground railway accident in
London in 1938).

Arthur Jermy Mounteney Jephson (1859-1908)
(African nickname – Bubarika)
Photo from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Boston MA

Thomas Osborne Davis (1814-1845)

He was baptised in St Anne’s Church in 1814. The Irish writer was among the founders of the Young Ireland movement in the 19th century, whose influential publication was the weekly paper “The Nation”. He believed in the love of country, the power of music and the study of Gaelic civilisation to bring about an Irish cultural identity separate from that of Britain. He is the composer of such famous ballads as “The West’s Asleep” and “A Nation Once Again” As a Protestant Davis preached religious unity, the common (mixed) education of Catholics and Protestants and advocating for Irish as the national language. In 2014 on a visit to Mallow to mark the bicentenary of Thomas Davis’ birth the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins planted a tree in St James’ Churchyard as part of the commemorations.

A statue of Thomas David stands at the Davis Street/ Clockhouse junction in Mallow.

Oliver Reed (1938-1999)

After a turbulent life and career in the spotlight Oliver Reed lived out his latter years in Churchtown Co. Cork. His funeral service was held in St. James’ Mallow. The Rev Robert Kingston told the congregation that Reed’s cup had overflowed in many ways, not least in terms of talent. Everyone, he said, would have to drink wine in Heaven eventually. Oliver Reed was buried in Bruhenny Graveyard, Churchtown.