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St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier: Retain as Building of Local Interest

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

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A decision made on 22 November 2010 regarding the retention of St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier as a Building of Local Interest

Decision Ref:

MD–PE–2010-0129

Subject:

Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey: St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier

Decision Summary Title:

DS – Historic Buildings Register: St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier

DS Author:

Assistant Director

DS Date:

17 November 2010

DS Status:

Public

Written Report Title:

WR – Historic Buildings Register: St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier

WR Author:

Head of Historic Buildings (Jersey Heritage)

WR Date

25 October 2010

WR Status:

Public

Oral Rapporteur:

Assistant Director/ Roger Hills – Head of Historic Buildings (Jersey Heritage)

Decision(s):

The Minister for Planning and Environment resolved to serve a notice of his intent to retain the building and place specified above on the Register for Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance as a Building of Local Interest.

Reason(s) for Decision:

  1. The particular interest of the building and place specified above, as identified and described in the report and relative to the published criteria for selection, justifies its retention on Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey as a Building of Local Interest and;
  2. it accords with the States Strategic Plan commitment of protecting and sympathetically managing the Island’s built heritage assets.

Legal and Resource Implications:

The inclusion of buildings and places in the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey is consistent with the purposes of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002.

Action required:

Serve notice of intent to retain the building and place specified above to the Register for Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance

Signature:

 

 

Position:

Minister for Planning and Environment

Date Signed:

 

Date of Decision (If different to Date Signed):

 

Hide report
St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier: Retain as Building of Local Interest

  Page 1  July 13, 2024

 

 

Register for Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey

 

St James School, Chapel Lane, St Helier

 

 

This report has been prepared by Jersey Heritage as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the architectural, historical and archaeological significance of buildings and sites.

 

The assessment and recommendation are made in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings. The report includes the views and advice offered by the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Head of Historic Buildings

 

Date of report: 25th October 2010

 

File ref: HE0842

 

 

Current status

 

BLI

 

Relevant interests of the site

 

St James School was opened in 1865 adjacent to the church - part of the Church of England’s drive to provide Christian education for the poor in the early and middle years of the 19th century. It is one of the oldest surviving school buildings in the Island – most being built later in response to the 1894 law on compulsory education.

 

The school is in Gothic Revival style and retains most of its original external form, particularly notable for the quality of the mid-19th century stonemasonry. The building has a C-plan with the principal elevation fronting Chapel Lane. It is single storey with attic and tall projecting gable wings. There are slate pitched roofs. The walls are constructed of coursed squared granite, arranged in decorative bands of alternating pink Mont Mado granite and grey/brown stone. There are ashlar quoins, window and door reveals, dressed stone chimneystacks and a gabled stone lucarne, all in contrasting red/brown granite.

 

The buildings have Gothic-arched window and door openings in ecclesiastical style – the larger windows with Y-tracery (although most original windows replaced). Original doors survive to the south front. The interior has been substantially remodelled – with only an 1865 mahogany staircase and 1 original paneled door surviving.

 

The site is bounded on the Chapel Lane side by original 19th century spear finial cast iron railings on a dwarf granite wall, and on the Le Breton Lane side by a tall rubble granite wall.

 

Advice offered by MRLAG (and others if stated)

 

MRLAG discussed the site at its meeting on 11th October 2010. Members noted the survival of an original mahogany staircase, but were unanimous that the school be retained as a BLI.

 

Jersey Heritage recommendation

 

St James is of historical and architectural interest as one of the oldest surviving schools in the Island, particularly notable for the quality of its mid-19th century stonemasonry. As such it should be retained on the Register as a BLI.

 

Justification relating to criteria

 

The registration of St James School as a BLI is in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings. The buildings substantially retain their historic form and detail and so make a significant and positive contribution to the architectural and historical identity, character and amenity of Jersey.

 

The buildings are of significance for their architectural design and craftsmanship, composition, and use of materials, illustrate significant aspects of Jersey’s social and cultural history, and are of scenic and group value.

 

Attachments

 

BLI plan

Historic maps & photographs

Photographs 2010

 

 

 

 

 

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