St Paul's Church, Shadwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Paul's Church, Shadwell |
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St Paul's Church, Shadwell
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| Location | East End of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Charismatic/Evangelical Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | John Walters |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Paul's Church, Shadwell, is a special Church of England church in the East End of London, England. It's located near The Highway and Shadwell Basin, on the edge of Wapping. This church is a "Grade II* listed building," which means it's a very important historic place. Over many centuries, St Paul's has seen lots of changes. Today, it's a very busy and active church, supported by Holy Trinity Brompton Church.
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A Look Back: St. Paul's Church History
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St Paul's Church has a long and interesting past. It was once known as the "Church of Sea Captains." The first church building was put up in 1656. A man named Thomas Neale helped pay for most of it. People believe that 75 sea captains are buried here.
Early Years and Important Changes
From 1658 to 1662, Matthew Mead was the minister. He was replaced because he didn't follow all the rules of the church at that time. During the terrible Great Plague of London, this church was one of five places in the Stepney area used as burial sites for plague victims.
The church was rebuilt in 1669. It then became the official Parish Church of Shadwell. In 1670, a special law made Shadwell a separate parish from St Dunstan's, Stepney. St Paul's was named after St Paul's Cathedral. It was the first new parish created from St Dunstan's, Stepney, since 1338.
Famous Visitors and Baptisms
Many famous people have connections to St Paul's. John Wesley, a very important preacher, spoke here. Captain James Cook, the famous explorer, also worshipped at this church. His oldest son was even baptised here in 1763.
Other notable people baptised at St Paul's include William Henry Perkin. He was a chemist who discovered the first artificial dye. Jane Randolph, the mother of Thomas Jefferson (who later became a US President), was also baptised here. The church built in 1669 was made of brick. It was about 26.5 meters long and 19 meters wide.
The Current Building and Churchyard
The 1669 church was taken down in 1817. The building you see today was finished in 1821. It was designed by an architect named John Walters. This is the only building by John Walters that is still standing.
In the 1840s, a company bought half of the churchyard land. They needed it to make Shadwell Basin bigger. After burials stopped, the churchyard was turned into a garden in 1886. A woman named Fanny Wilkinson helped design it. Some of the big London plane trees you see there today are from her original design. In 1950, the church building was officially named a "Grade II* listed building."
St. Paul's Church Today
In January 2005, a group from Holy Trinity Brompton Church came to Shadwell. They joined the existing members of St Paul's to help serve the local community. This was part of a plan by the Bishop of London to help churches that were becoming less active.
The Rev Ric Thorpe became the new leader of the church on January 20, 2005. The Rev Jez Barnes helped him. Ric Thorpe became the main Rector in 2010. He left in 2015 to become the Bishop of Islington.
St Paul's Church today follows the charismatic and evangelical Anglican traditions. This means they focus on a lively and personal faith.
St. Paul's in Books
The church is an important place in a book called Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows by James Lovegrove.
