You are standing several meters above Stenner Lane. This is because beneath your feet are at least 14,000 burials which have raised the level of the ground. St James was founded in 1236 and is by far the oldest building in Didsbury. It's now part of a parish with Emmanuel in the centre of the 'new' Victorian village of Didsbury but this used to be the old village before the Industrial Revolution. St James is still home to a thriving worshipping community and although the churchyard has been closed to burials since 1919 it still has a garden of remembrance for the burial of ashes and the new sculpture called 'Cloud of Witnesses' was recently dedicated to those buried here and their families. The churchyard has a number of new sculpture and of particular interest is the cracked stone block in the lower part of the churchyard near the retaining wall overlooking Fletcher Moss - see if you can find it. Welcome to St James.
Fvapr jr ner fheebhaqrq ol fb terng n pebjq bs jvgarffrf.