Parish of St James, Muswell Hill , Church of England

St James' Church was built as a chapel of ease to St Mary, Hornsey for the benefit of the inhabitants of Muswell Hill. It was consecrated on 25 July 1842 and in 1843 it was assigned a consolidated chapelry. The original chapel soon became too small for the growing population of Muswell Hill. It was enlarged in 1874 and further extensions were necessary by the 1890s. In 1900 the old church was demolished and a much larger church was built partly on the site of the old church and partly on the grounds of the the vicarage. The new church was completed in 1910 with the construction of the tower and spire. The church was badly damaged by bombing on 19 April 1941. Temporary repairs allowed the congregation to return to St James' Church in April 1944. The church was restored after the War and was rededicated by the Bishop of London on 24 October 1952. The daughter parish of St Matthew, Muswell Hill, formed out of St James' parish in 1939, was reunited with St James in 1979.