Church of England · Old Milverton
St James the Great
A parish church in the heart of Old Milverton, Leamington Spa.
Services every Sunday at 10.30am. Whoever you are, you will find a warm welcome.
Welcome
Come and meet us
St James Church is in Old Milverton village, but our congregation is drawn from all parts of Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth. We hold a service every Sunday morning at 10.30am and offer a family-friendly, fairly traditional style of worship.
The current church was built in 1880, but this has been a place of worship for nine hundred years. Our churchyard sits on footpaths that run across to Leamington and down to the River Avon at the Saxon Mill, Warwick: a lovely place to stop and relax on a sunny day, to take in the views and soak up the peaceful atmosphere.
We think of ourselves as the St James family, but a family that welcomes new members and enjoys meeting new people.
Join us this Sunday
A service every Sunday at 10.30am
A family-friendly, fairly traditional welcome. Coffee follows our Communion services. Whatever brings you, come as you are.
The monthly pattern
- Holy Communion1st Sunday10.30am
- Matins2nd Sunday10.30am
- Holy Communion3rd Sunday10.30am
- Morning Worship4th Sunday10.30am
- Various services5th Sunday10.30am
Prayer Space · 1st Saturday10.00am
Summer Evensong · 1st Sunday6.00pm
Midweek reflective service · Last WednesdayAfternoon
In the diary
Coming up at St James
Alongside our Sunday services, these gatherings run through the year. For the next dates, please get in touch or ask at a service.
- Prayer SpaceFirst Saturday of the month, 10am
- Muddy Church & Bio-BlitzFamily worship outdoors, in the churchyard
- Churchyard clearing morningsA few mornings, spring to autumn, from 9.30am
- The dog-walkers' drop-inCoffee in the churchyard
- Coffee and ChatDuring school holidays, Parish Room
- Holy Communion at Helen Ley & Priors HouseAt our local care centres
Find your way
Everything at St James, in one place
Forty pages became a handful of clear doors. Step through whichever one you need.
History & Heritage
Nine hundred years of worship
St James the Great is a mid-Victorian rebuilding of a far older church. The building dates from 1880, but there has been worship on this spot for nearly nine hundred years. Its character lives in the details, and in the people who have cared for them.
- The altar frontals. Hand-embroidered, the oldest a cream damask completed in 1926.
- The turret clock. By JB Joyce, the firm behind the gravity escapement later used in Big Ben.
- The three bells. The tenor cast around 1440 at the Whitechapel foundry, ringing again since 2013.
- The churchyard. Resting place of the writer Vera Brittain, with a war memorial read aloud each November.
Community
More than a Sunday morning
We celebrate and recognise the gifts of everyone who makes St James the caring, supportive place it is. From coffee and chat to the dog-walkers' drop-in, Muddy Church and the quiet of the churchyard, there is a place for you here.
Safeguarding
Everyone safe, everyone welcome
If you have a concern
- Penny Hawkins, Parish Safeguarding Officer
07833 978522 - Diocesan Safeguarding Team
024 7652 1345 (24 hours a day)
At St James Church, we create a safe environment for children, young people and adults by implementing the Church of England's House of Bishops policy, Promoting a Safer Church 2026, and following the National Safeguarding Standards.
All volunteers working with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults at risk have completed the required safeguarding training and an enhanced DBS check, and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them in their role.
- Promoting a Safer ChurchThe Church of England's national safeguarding policy statement.
- Our parish and the National Safeguarding StandardsHow St James is committed to the five national standards (poster).
- Responding to a Safeguarding Concern or AllegationWhat to do, and who to speak to, if you have a concern.
Visit us
You will find a warm welcome
Whether you are a regular member of our church family or simply passing through, we are always delighted to see you. Come and join us one Sunday, or get in touch.