St Paul's Church, Colwyn Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church, Colwyn Bay |
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St Paul's Church, Colwyn Bay, from the southeast
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| 53°17′38″N 3°43′35″W / 53.2939°N 3.7265°W | |
| OS grid reference | SH 850,788 |
| Location | Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Weekly attendance | 50–75 |
| Website | Parish of Colwyn Bay and Bryn-y-Maen |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Consecrated | 13 July 1888 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 25 July 1994 |
| Architect(s) | Douglas and Fordham |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1887 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 200 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Colwyn Bay with Bryn-Y-Maen |
| Deanery | Rhos |
| Archdeaconry | St Asaph |
| Diocese | St Asaph |
| Province | Wales |
| Presbytery | Located on Walshaw Avenue |
St Paul's Church in Colwyn Bay, Wales, is an active Anglican parish church. This means it is a local church that serves the community. It is part of the larger Church in Wales. The church is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade II* building by Cadw, which protects Wales' historic sites. This special listing means it is a particularly important building.
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Building History
The first religious building on this spot was a small "mission room" built in 1872. This was a simple place for people to gather for worship. In 1880, a bigger church made of iron and timber replaced it. Sadly, this building burned down in 1886.
The church you see today was designed by a famous company called Douglas and Fordham from Chester. It was built in different stages over many years.
Building in Stages
- The main part of the church, called the nave (where people sit), was built first in 1887–1888.
- The chancel (the area near the altar) was added between 1894 and 1895.
- The tall tower was started in 1910 and finished the next year. This was one of the last big projects for John Douglas, one of the architects, before he passed away.
- In 1920, a special entrance area called a narthex was added. It has a main door on the west side. This part was designed by another architect, W. D. Caroe, and built as a memorial to those who served in the war.
Church Design and Art
St Paul's Church is a large church shaped like a cross. It is built from strong limestone rocks. It also has red sandstone from Runcorn for decoration.
Inside the Church
- The nave, where the churchgoers sit, is wide. It has low arcades (rows of arches) and a tall clerestory (an upper wall with windows).
- The windows are mostly lancet windows, which are tall and narrow. There is also a beautiful rose window in the south transept (one of the arms of the cross shape).
- The tower is described as "bold" and "craggy" with strong supports called buttresses.
Special Features and Art
- Inside the chancel, you can see a sedilia, which is a set of seats for the clergy. It was designed by Douglas.
- The wooden stalls (seats for the choir) have detailed carvings. These carvings are in a style typical of John Douglas's work.
- The reredos (a screen behind the altar) and its side posts were designed by Caroe in 1934–1935. They are very detailed.
- The reredos shows pictures of Supper at Emmaus and the Annunciation. It also has figures of important saints like Saint Kentigern, Saint Asaph, St Aidan, and the Venerable Bede.
- The stained glass windows in the west and narthex areas were made by Horace Wilkinson in 1920–1921.
- The church's organ was first built in 1888 by Peter Conacher and Son. It was finished in 1891 and later rebuilt in 1960.
An expert named Edward Hubbard called St Paul's Church an "extraordinary building." He even suggested it might be Douglas's most amazing church from that time.
See also
