The Unusual and Quirky St James the Apostle Church

We visited an unusual and quirky looking church today, called the St James the Apostle Church, situated in a small village in Temple Normanton in Chesterfield, UK. We've passed it many times and never called in.

The Church is the 4th church to be built on this particular site. The first was a Saxon/Norman church, that was replaced in the 19th century by a large Victorian edifice. Unfortunately, subsidence damaged the church that was caused by a nearby coal mine. In 1920, it was replaced by a temporary wooden structure. In 1986, high winds also damaged the church.

The half cylinder structure that is in place now, is made out of orange glass with reinforced plastic and appears to be more robust. Source

There was another building in the graveyard. Back in the day, these were usually cemetery chapels where coffined bodies were placed before disposal. Unfortunately, the church wasn’t open today, but it's certainly a talking point.