St Paul's Church, Bedford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church, Bedford
52°08′07″N 0°28′00″W / 52.1354°N 0.4668°W / 52.1354; -0.4668
OS grid reference	TL0498549678
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Inclusive Anglo-Catholic
Website	http://www.stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Paul
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I listed
Administration
Parish	Bedford St Paul
Deanery	Bedford
Archdeaconry	Bedford
Diocese	St Albans
Province	Canterbury

St Paul's Church is a very old and important church in Bedford, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This large church looks a bit like a cathedral. Its tall spire can be seen from far away.

St Paul's is the biggest Anglican church in Bedfordshire. Many people visit it every year. It is known as a Major Parish Church.

This church has played a big part in British history. During World War II, the BBC broadcast daily prayers from here. A special prayer service in 1941 was also broadcast worldwide. Today, St Paul's is the main church for Bedford and Bedfordshire. It hosts many important events, concerts, and exhibitions. It also serves its local community and has beautiful choir music. St Paul's is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.

A Look Back: St Paul's Church History

The First Church Building

Some people believe that King Offa started St Paul's Church around the year 796. He might have wanted a church for his new town, Bedford. King Offa is thought to be buried in Bedford. St Paul's Church could be the spot of his grave.

The church was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. This was a big survey of England. It shows that St Paul's was an important church even then. An Archbishop of York, named Oscytel, was buried here in 956. This also proves the church was very important long ago.

Building and Changes Over Time

From the early 800s, Viking attacks often disturbed the church. The Vikings used the river to reach Bedford. In 1009-10, they even destroyed the church during a fight. Old records say they "burnt as they went."

The church building you see today started in the early 1200s. It has been changed and rebuilt many times since then. Part of the original 13th-century building, a south porch, is still there. Records show a church existed on this spot even before 1066.

In 1416, the Trinity Chapel was built. A group called the Holy Brotherhood of the Trinity took care of it. The church has strong links to Sir William Harpur and Dame Alice Harpur. They were a famous couple. Their brass memorials are in the Trinity Chapel. Sir William was the Lord Mayor of London in 1562. His charity, the Harpur Trust, gave many stained glass windows to the church. Other improvements in the 1400s included special seats called Misericords.

Famous preachers visited St Paul's. John Bunyan, who wrote "The Pilgrim's Progress", preached here in 1656. John Wesley, a founder of Methodism, preached here in 1758. In the 1800s, St Paul's became an Anglo-Catholic church. This is a certain style of worship within the Church of England. Many parts of the church were rebuilt in the 1800s. These include the tower, spire, and choir areas.

In the early 1900s, more work was done. This included a screen called a Rood screen. The church was also restored and improved from the 1970s to 1982. In 2014, a new entrance area, called a Narthex, was added.

A Church for the Nation: World War II

St Paul's Church played a very special role during World War II. This was a dark time for the United Kingdom.

First, the BBC moved many of its operations out of London to Bedford. The Trinity Chapel in St Paul's was used as a studio. From here, the BBC broadcast daily prayers. These broadcasts went out across the UK and Europe. A special message is written on the floor at the chapel entrance:

Second, on September 7, 1941, a National Day of Prayer was held. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York came to St Paul's. They led a service that was broadcast live to the whole nation. This service aimed to give hope and inspire people. A Roman Catholic leader, Arthur Hinsley, also led a service here.

Special Features of St Paul's

The Organ

The church has a large organ with three keyboards. It was rebuilt in 2010. Many parts of the organ are from 1900. In the 2010 rebuild, some sounds were made brighter. New parts were added, and the number of different sounds was set to 44. You can find more details about the organ on the church's website.

The Bells

St Paul's has had church bells for hundreds of years. Today, there are twelve bells. They are used for a special type of ringing called change ringing. Most of the bells were made in 1896–97. They replaced an older set of eight bells. One old bell was kept but was remade in 1945.

The bells were taken out of the tower during World War II. This was to protect them in case the church was bombed. Church bells were not allowed to be rung during much of the war. They were only to be rung as an alarm if an invasion happened. The bells were put back in 1945. In 1977, two new bells were added. This was to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, marking 25 years of her reign.

St Paul's Church Today

St Paul's is a busy and active church in the middle of Bedford. It works with three other Anglican churches. They all serve the community together. The church helps schools and local groups. It also supports the work of the Lord-Lieutenant and High Sheriff.

St Paul's has a choir tradition like a cathedral. It uses a modern "catholic" style of worship. This style appeals to people of all ages. The church has clergy and other helpers. A full-time Pastoral Assistant helps people in need. Many visitors come to the church each year. St Paul's is part of a group called 'Town Centre Churches'. It also works with other churches and community groups. This includes the 'Bedford Council of Faiths'. St Paul's is a member of the Major Churches Network.

Sunday Services

8.00 Holy Communion

• This service uses an older prayer book.

10.15 Parish Eucharist

• All Age Sung Eucharist with Address (1st Sunday of the month)
• Sung Parish Eucharist with Address (2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays)
• Choral Eucharist with Address (3rd Sunday)
• Prayer for healing is offered on the 4th Sunday.

5.30 Evening Service

• Address and Compline (1st Sunday)
• Choral Evensong with short address (2nd and 4th Sundays)
• Evening Prayer - said (3rd and 5th Sundays)

Weekday Services

Monday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 4.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Tuesday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 4.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Wednesday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• Noon Eucharist, followed by a shared lunch
• 5.00 p.m. Evening Prayer

Thursday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 4.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Friday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 9.30 a.m. Eucharist
• 4.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Saturday

• 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 9.30 a.m. Eucharist
• 4.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

The church is open every day for quiet prayer from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Images for kids

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  St Paul's Church, Bedford