James Forsyth was born in Kelso, Scotland in 1827 and at the age of 13 was apprenticed to a carver and gilder in Kelso. He subsequently worked as a painter, sculptor, furniture designer, gilder and wood carver. By 1851 he had moved to Wells in Somerset, England where he was commissioned by the architect Anthony Salvin (1788-1881) to carve the organ case and choir stall at Wells Cathedral. Following the success of this project, he was employed as a carver at several cathedrals, sometimes in collaboration with Salvin's brother-in-law, the landscape architect, William Andrew Nesfield (1793–1881). He also worked on a number of architectural carving commissions from Richard Norman Shaw (1831-1912). His younger younger brother, William Charles Forsyth (1833–1915), who was also a carver and sculptor often collaborated with him in many of his projects.