St Paul's Church, Weymouth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	1900
Location
Location	Westham, Weymouth, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	George Fellowes Prynne
Architectural type	Church

St Paul's Church is a Church of England church located in Westham, a part of Weymouth, Dorset, England. A famous architect named George Fellowes Prynne designed the church. Most of it was built between 1894 and 1896.

Since 1974, St Paul's Church has been a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. There's also a special memorial outside for World War I that became Grade II listed in 2016. Experts have called the church's design "unique but impressive."

Building a New Church for Westham

Westham grew a lot in the late 1800s. It became a new suburb of Weymouth. People living there needed a bigger church.

Early Church Services

In 1880, a small church building was put up. It was called a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church that helped the main church, All Saints.

Why a New Church Was Needed

By 1892, more than 2,000 people lived in Westham. The small chapel was no longer big enough for everyone. So, a meeting was held in June 1892. The Bishop of Salisbury led the meeting. Everyone agreed that a new, larger church was needed.

Finding a Location and Architect

A group was formed to raise money. They bought land for the church for £655. In 1893, architects were asked to submit their designs. George Fellowes Prynne's design was chosen as the best.

Construction of St Paul's Church

Enough money was raised to start building in 1894. Mr. W. H. Gooding from Exeter was hired as the builder.

Laying the Foundation Stone

The first stone, called the foundation stone, was laid on May 9, 1894. The Countess of Hoyos placed it. Many important people attended the ceremony. These included the Bishop of Salisbury and the Mayor of Weymouth.

Building Challenges and Progress

The original plan was to build enough of the church for 400 people. But there were problems with the builder. The church couldn't be finished on time. Work stopped for a short while. Then, George Fellowes Prynne, the architect, took over the project himself.

First Part of the Church Completed

The first part of the church was finished in 1896. The Bishop of Salisbury, John Wordsworth, officially dedicated it on January 25, 1896. This part included:

• Two sections of the main hall (nave)
• The north side aisle
• The south side section (transept)
• The area around the altar (chancel)
• Rooms for clergy (vestries)
• The organ room

A temporary third section of the nave was also built. At this point, £5,600 had been spent. But £1,850 of that still needed to be raised.

Becoming a Parish Church

The committee kept raising money. By 1900, the debt was much smaller, only £600.

Consecration and New Parish

In May 1900, a meeting was held to discuss making St Paul's an official parish church. A parish church serves its own local area. The Bishop of Salisbury said he would officially consecrate the church. This would happen on October 18, 1900. But two things needed to happen first:

• The debt had to be reduced to £300 by October 1.
• Experts had to confirm the church was strong enough.

The community successfully raised £450. So, the Bishop consecrated the church on October 18, 1900. In 1902, Westham officially became its own parish. St Paul's Church became its main church.

Final Touches to the Church

A small side chapel was added to the church in 1903. All the permanent building work was completed in 1913.