St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul’s Church, Balsall Heath |
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| 52°27′27.98″N 1°53′31.5″W / 52.4577722°N 1.892083°W | |
| Location | Balsall Heath |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Hinton Brown Langstone |
| Groundbreaking | 1979 |
| Completed | 1980 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Balsall Heath and Edgbaston |
| Deanery | Moseley |
| Archdeaconry | Birmingham |
| Diocese | Anglican Diocese of Birmingham |
St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath, is a parish church located in Birmingham, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church has a long history, with its first building dating back to the 1850s.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
The First Church Building
The journey of St Paul's Church began a long time ago. On May 17, 1852, the first stone for the church was laid by Mrs. Taylor. This special event marked the start of building the church. The design for this first church was created by an architect named James Lyndon Pedley.
The church building was finished and opened for worship on May 17, 1853. This opening was a special ceremony called a "consecration," led by the Bishop of Worcester. Building this first church cost about £5,500. In the same year, a new church area, or "parish," was created for St Paul's from the nearby St Nicolas' Church, Kings Norton.
Changes and Growth Over Time
Over the years, the first St Paul's Church building grew bigger. It was made larger in 1856 and again in 1865. These expansions were designed by an architect named Edward Holmes.
As the community grew, St Paul's Church helped create new churches in Birmingham. Land from its parish was used to form several new church areas. These included St Thomas in the Moors, Balsall Heath in 1884, St Patrick's Church, Bordesley in 1900, St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook in 1902, and St Barnabas' Church, Balsall Heath in 1905.
The New Church Building
By the 1970s, keeping the old church building in good condition became very expensive for the people who attended it. So, the church community decided to build a new place of worship. They teamed up with the Church of Christ United Reform Church to create a shared new building.
Construction on this new church started in 1979. The architects for this modern building were Hinton Brown Langstone. The new St Paul's Church was completed and officially opened in 1980. Bishop Hugh Montefiore led the consecration ceremony for the new building.
The Church Organ
The first St Paul's Church had a beautiful organ. This organ was built by a famous organ maker named Henry Willis and was installed in 1880. You can find details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
When the original church building closed in 1979, the organ was sold. It found a new home far away in Australia. The organ was moved to St George's Church, Battery Point in Hobart, Tasmania.
