St James the Unusual
St James’s, Postlip, is, to say the least, a highly unusual church. It is very close to Postlip Hall but set well above it, surrounded by woodland. The Hall itself is a large Jacobean house which, for the last fifty years, has been owned and run as a co-operative commune, described as “a village under one roof”.
St James’s comprises a Norman nave and chancel, with a later bell-turret. For several centuries, it was used as a farm building until it was rescued and restored in 1890-91 by Stuart Forster, owner of Postlip Hall, who was a devout Catholic. The west gallery and the chancel are splendid examples of neo-Norman work, dating from the restoration.
Today, it is part of the RC parish of Winchcombe, and there are services each month during the summer. There is no electricity, water or gas, and parking is by agreement with the Hall co-operative. So, an unusual set-up, but quite an experience, whether for the first-time visitor or for the regular worshipper.
In 2024, the chapel was in urgent need of repair, especially to the rainwater goods and the roofs. A number of nearby trees also had to be felled for future maintenance. The work cost some £27000, and the congregation came to us with a funding gap of £7600. We were able to make a £ 1,000 grant. It was a special pleasure to attend the candlelit reopening mass, held on the feast day of St James the Great, 25th July 2025.
We hope these pictures will give an idea of the atmosphere.
