---
title: "St James, Spanish Place"
description: "Located in Spanish Place, Greater London. Built 1885–90; extended west in the First World War. Diocese of Westminster. Grade II*. Early English Gothic style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Catholic Church","Greater London","Marylebone","Grade II*","Early English","Edward Goldie"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-james-spanish-place"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:43:40.956Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-09T12:29:22.849Z"
location: "Spanish Place, Greater London"
country: "England"
county: "Greater London"
town: "Greater London"
address: "George Street, Spanish Place, Greater London, W1U 3QY"
postcode: "W1U 3QY"
built: "1885–90; extended west in the First World War"
consecrated: "28 July 1949"
architect: "Edward Goldie"
denomination: "Catholic Church"
dedications: ["James"]
diocese: "Westminster"
grade: "II*"
style: "Early English Gothic"
materials: "Kentish rag with ashlar dressings; stone-vaulted interior; slate roof"
website: "http://www.sjrcc.org.uk/"
openingHours: "Open every day."
parish: "St James, Spanish Place"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1066777"
gridReference: "TQ 282 815"
accessNotes: "Non-accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby. Accessible toilets in church"
---

# St James, Spanish Place

St James's is a Grade II* Roman Catholic church on George Street, Marylebone, in the Archdiocese of Westminster. It is the successor to the Spanish Embassy chapel.

## Overview

Historic England records a church of 1885–90 by Edward Goldie: Kentish rag with ashlar dressings, a stone-vaulted interior and a slate roof. The plan is nave, aisles and narrow outer aisles, non-projecting transepts, an apsidal chancel and a north Lady Chapel. The listing calls it an ambitious Early English design, with flying-buttressed clerestory, an eight-bay arcade, a full gallery bridged across the transepts, and quadripartite vaulting. Furnishings include work by J F Bentley; the reredos and hanging baldacchino are by Garner.

The mission grew from Joseph Bonomi's embassy chapel of 1793–6 in Manchester Square. The present site was bought in 1880. Goldie, Bonomi's great-grandson, won a limited competition. The church opened on Michaelmas Day 1890 and was consecrated on 28 July 1949 by Bishop George Craven. Goldie extended it westwards during the First World War. The projected tower and spire were never built.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1066777](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1066777)
- [St James's Roman Catholic Church](http://www.sjrcc.org.uk/)
- [Taking Stock: Spanish Place – St James](https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/spanish-place-st-james/)