India GOSt. James' Church, Kashmere Gate, Delhi
St. James' Church at Kashmere Gate is the oldest church still standing in Delhi, consecrated in 1836 and built by Colonel James Skinner to keep a vow he made on a battlefield. It belongs to the Church of North India, a Protestant church, and its restoration was completed in August 2023. Entry is free; Kashmere Gate metro is close by.
Colonel James Skinner, the Anglo-Indian cavalryman who raised the regiment known as Skinner's Horse, made a vow while lying wounded on a battlefield and built this church to keep it. Consecrated in 1836, it is the oldest church still standing in Delhi: a Greek cross under an Italian Renaissance dome. Damaged in 1857, it was fully restored and rededicated in August 2023, the exterior returned to its original soft pink lime finish. Skinner himself lies by the altar. Near Kashmere Gate metro, a natural pair with the Partition Museum.
A battlefield vow built in pink lime: Delhi's oldest church, restored in 2023
A battlefield vow: the story of the church
James Skinner was an Anglo-Indian cavalry officer who raised the regiment known as Skinner's Horse. Lying wounded after a battle, he vowed to build a church if he survived. He paid for it himself; building ran from 1826 to 1836, and the Bishop of Calcutta, Daniel Wilson, consecrated it on 21 November 1836.
Skinner died at Hansi in December 1841. He was first buried there, then reburied here on 19 January 1842 in a white marble vault beneath the communion table, by the altar. The churchyard also holds William Fraser, a British civil servant in Delhi, and Sir Thomas Metcalfe, Commissioner of Delhi.
The church was damaged in the fighting of 1857; the copper ball and cross on the dome were damaged and later replaced. Until the Cathedral Church of the Redemption opened in 1931, St. James' served as the place of worship of the British Viceroys. The latest restoration, completed in August 2023, returned the exterior to its original soft pink lime finish.
What to see
The church is small: the building, its stained glass and the graves around it.
The plan and the dome
A Greek cross, four equal arms, under a central dome in the spirit of the Italian Renaissance; the octagonal dome is similar to that of Florence Cathedral.
Stained glass
Original European stained-glass windows survive inside.
Skinner's grave
The founder's marble vault lies under the communion table.
The churchyard
Graves of William Fraser and Sir Thomas Metcalfe, two names from British Delhi before 1857.
Visiting: hours and services
Entry is free. The church has no working official website, and the India GO database has no confirmed visiting hours, so the card above shows none. It is a working parish of the Church of North India's Diocese of Delhi. Wikipedia gives morning worship from 9 am in October to March and from 8:30 am in April to September; the church itself has not published this, so check at the gate. If a service is on, sit at the back or wait outside until it ends.
How to reach St. James' Church
The church stands at Kashmere Gate in Old Delhi, close to Kashmere Gate metro station. It pairs naturally with the Partition Museum in the Dara Shukoh Library, a short way off in the same part of the old city.
✅ Etiquette
- Dress modestly — Shoulders and knees covered, as in any working church.
- Keep it quiet — Keep voices low inside.
- Photos with care — Do not photograph people during a service.
❓ FAQ
Is St. James' Church Catholic or Protestant?
Protestant. It belongs to the Church of North India, Diocese of Delhi, which includes the former Anglican congregations.
How old is St. James' Church?
It was consecrated on 21 November 1836, after ten years of building, so it is about 190 years old.
Which is the oldest church in Delhi?
St. James' Church at Kashmere Gate is the oldest church still standing in Delhi.
Who built St. James' Church?
Colonel James Skinner, founder of Skinner's Horse, who paid for it to fulfil a vow. He is buried beneath the communion table.
Is there an entry fee?
No, entry is free.
What type of church is St. James' Church?
A parish church built in Renaissance Revival style on a Greek-cross plan with a central dome.