James Chelsum (c. 1740 – 1801) was a British Church of England clergyman and author. He was admitted to Westminster School on Bishop Williams's foundation, and thereafter entered Christ Church, Oxford. He proceeded BA 4 May 1769, MA 22 May 1762, BD 11 Nov. 1772, and DD 18 June 1773. He was ordained in March 1762, and subsequently held a number of ecclesiastical appointments. He was one of the preachers at Whitehall, chaplain to the bishops of Worcester and Winchester, rector of Droxford, Hampshire, and vicar of Lathbury, Buckinghamshire. He also held the benefice of Badger in Shropshire.