THIS month sees the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the church of St James the Great in Darlington.

Distinctively Anglo-Catholic, the church is one of only a handful in the region still practising wholly traditional Catholicism.

In fact, the parish was one of the first to reject the decision of general synod in November 1992 which authorised the ordination of women into the priesthood.

Consecrated on August 31, 1876, by Dr Baring, Bishop of Durham - a member of the Barings Bank family - it cost £5,800 plus £205 for the mission room.

Serving a parish which itself was created in 1872 under the patronage of the Crown, its heartland lay in the small industrial area of Albert Hill close to the Stockton & Darlington Railway line.

Built to house 300 people, the congregation was drawn from the families of the workers in the forges, wire mills and heavy industry which sprung up in the wake of the railways.

For the first four years, the first incumbent, Fr Christopher Gibson Davis, worked from a house in Killinghall Street until the church was completed. The house later became Chisman's betting shop.

By 1887, the church had three missioners and lay workers, 11 district visitors, two churchwardens and two representatives to the ruridecanal meeting.

It also had an organist with a choir topping 44 and a Sunday school which boasted 360 pupils under the guidance of 20 teachers - a better ratio than in many of today's state schools.

From 1901 to 1930, Fr Theodore Gobat, who was as uncompromising in his Catholic faith and practise as in his Christian socialism, took over the reins.

At a time when neither was fashionable and in some official quarters not even tolerable, he earned a reputation far outside the diocese.

Next came the fiery zeal of the diminutive Fr Arthur Cross, who is still remembered by parishioners today.

Unique for having been incumbent twice, he first became vicar in 1950 for nine years and then again after the benefice had been united with the town centre parish of St Hilda, from 1963-68.

His successor, Fr Denis Smith, in whose time the benefice was severed, served until the present incumbent Fr Ian Grieves was instituted as parish priest in April 1989.

Fr Grieves, in contrast to his recent predecessors both of who served St James' as the final appointment at the end of a long career, is in his first incumbency.

His guidance and enthusiasm has seen the parish transform from a backwater into one of the leading Anglo-Catholic parishes in the North.

His vigour has brought people flocking back into church.

During his first year, the congregation rose by 76pc. The following year it rose again by 51pc.

Although those levels have tailed off, the church still sees a steady 5pc increase each year despite other denominations recording declines.

With a parish population of 2,081, the church regularly fills its 300 pews and every week 227 people attend mass.

Last year, 11,850 people received holy communion with many travelling from other parts of the region.

Secretary of the parochial church council and a member of St James', Mr David Warren believes its popularity lies in its tradition.

He told the D&S Times: "We are a bit of an oasis in the south-west of the diocese. The nearest Anglo-Catholic church is in St Helen's, Auckland.

"Although there is not many of us left it does tend to be our particular style of worship that is showing growth among congregations.

"I'm sure it is because so many other churches are trying to be all things to all people. Here people know what they are going to get."

In celebration of 125 years' service, the church has commissioned an incumbents' board dating back to 1876 and a processional crucifix.

Designed by Canon David Hinge, assistant priest at St James', the work was completed by Mr Arthur Barnaby, of Whickham near Gateshead.

A major refurbishment of the church fabric and reordering of the remainder of the interior is planned for the medium- to long-term future, while work to restore the windows on the south wall begins in September.

A 7.30, solemn mass of thanksgiving with the Rt Rev John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham, takes place on August 31, followed by a parish reception in the church hall