St Paul's Church, Dover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church |
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Front entrance
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| OS grid reference | TR 319 418 |
| Location | Dover, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | ParishoftheGoodShepherd.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | E. W. Pugin |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1867 |
| Completed | 15 May 1868 |
| Construction cost | £2300 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Good Shepherd |
| Deanery | Dover |
| Archdiocese | Southwark |
| Province | Southwark |
St Paul's Church is a beautiful Roman Catholic church located in Dover, Kent, England. It was built a long time ago, between 1867 and 1868. You can find it on Maison Dieu Road, right in the middle of Dover. This church has a special design called Gothic Revival, and it was created by a famous architect named E.W. Pugin.
Contents
The Story of St Paul's Church
How the Church Began
In 1822, a group started in Dover to help Catholics in the area. They held their church services, called Mass, in a house on Snargate Street.
By 1834, more space was needed because the house was too small. So, they bought an old chapel on Elizabeth Street. It cost £425 to buy and another £400 to fix up. They also bought a house next door for the priest. The new chapel opened in May 1835. But soon, even more people joined, and they needed an even bigger place to worship.
Building the New Church
In 1864, the church bought the land where St Paul's stands today for £450. Construction of the new church began in 1867. The whole building cost £2300. A lot of the money came from a gift left by Mary Winifred St Martin, Countess de Front. She was married to Philip St Martin, who was an ambassador from the Kingdom of Sardinia.
On May 15, 1868, Thomas Grant, the Bishop of Southwark, officially opened the church. A school was built next to the church in 1872. A year later, in 1873, a special rounded part called an apse was added to the church.
Changes Over Time
In 1959, the church was repaired and updated. The chancel (the area near the altar) was made lower, and the altar was moved closer to the main part of the church, called the nave. In 1964, the nave was also updated. New seats were added, and the pulpit (where the priest gives sermons) was removed.
Sadly, on October 23, 1987, someone set fire to the church. The fire badly damaged the roof and the organ. The person who started the fire was later arrested.
Repairs to the church began on June 1, 1988. The church was reopened on October 28, 1988. Michael Bowen, the Archbishop of Southwark, led the first Mass in the repaired church that day.
The Parish Community
Very close to St Paul's Church is St Edmund's Chapel. This chapel was built in 1262, but it was closed down in 1544. In the 1960s, a priest named Fr Terrence Tanner worked hard to restore it. The chapel is now looked after by The St Edmund of Abingdon Memorial Trust.
In 2015, St Paul's Church joined with St Finbarr's Church in Aylesham. Together, they became part of the parish of the Good Shepherd.
St Paul's Church holds two Sunday Masses each week. One is on Saturday evening at 6:00pm, and the other is on Sunday morning at 9:15am.
See also
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark
