---
title: "St James the Great, Shirley"
description: "Located in Shirley, West Midlands. Built 1830–32; enlarged 1882–83. Diocese of Birmingham. Grade II. Gothic; Early English (1880s east end) style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","West Midlands","Shirley","Grade II","Gothic","Robert Ebbels"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/shirley-st-james-great"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:39:52.661Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-09T12:30:56.615Z"
location: "Shirley, West Midlands"
country: "England"
county: "West Midlands"
town: "Shirley"
address: "Church Road, Shirley, West Midlands, B90 2AX"
postcode: "B90 2AX"
built: "1830–32; enlarged 1882–83"
consecrated: "2 August 1832"
architect: "Robert Ebbels (1830–32); probably John Cotton of Birmingham (1882–83)"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["James the Great"]
diocese: "Birmingham"
grade: "II"
style: "Gothic; Early English (1880s east end)"
materials: "Nave and tower rendered (probably over brick) with slate roofs; transepts and chancel red brick with red tiled roofs"
website: "https://www.shirleyparishb90.co.uk/"
openingHours: "Open daily 10am to 4pm (approx)."
parish: "Shirley"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1203387"
gridReference: "SP 119 788"
accessNotes: "Level access to the main areas"
---

# St James the Great, Shirley

St James the Great is a Grade II parish church on Church Road and Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, in the Diocese of Birmingham.

## Overview

Historic England records a chapel of ease of 1830–32 by Robert Ebbels, consecrated on 2 August 1832, on land given by the Earl of Plymouth. The ritual west tower and five-bay nave are in pale grey render and spare 1830s Gothic, with uncusped lancets and an embattled tower. Crossing, chancel and large transepts of 1882–83, probably by John Cotton of Birmingham, are in patterned red brick with blue-brick diapering and plate-traceried windows. The liturgical orientation is reversed, with the chancel at the geographical west end. Interior fittings include a mid-1880s mosaic reredos and 1886 east window by Powell of Whitefriars. Shirley became a separate parish in the nineteenth century. The church was reordered in 1969 and the original orientation restored in 1994.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1203387](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1203387)
- [British Listed Buildings: Church of St James, Shirley](https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101203387-church-of-st-james-shirley-west-ward)
- [St James the Great, Shirley (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_James_the_Great,_Shirley)