St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul’s Church, Balsall Heath |
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| 52°27′27.98″N 1°53′31.5″W / 52.4577722°N 1.892083°W | |
| Location | Balsall Heath |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Hinton Brown Langstone |
| Groundbreaking | 1979 |
| Completed | 1980 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Balsall Heath and Edgbaston |
| Deanery | Moseley |
| Archdeaconry | Birmingham |
| Diocese | Anglican Diocese of Birmingham |
St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath is a special church building in Balsall Heath, a part of Birmingham, England. It is a parish church, which means it serves a local community. The church belongs to the Church of England.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
Building the First Church
The very first St Paul's Church building began construction on 17 May 1852. A special "foundation stone" was laid by Mrs Taylor. This stone is usually the first stone placed when a building is started. The church was designed by an architect named James Lyndon Pedley.
The building was finished and opened for worship on 17 May 1853. This event is called a "consecration," which means it was officially set aside for religious use. The Bishop of Worcester led the ceremony. Building the first church cost about £5,500, which was a very large sum of money back then!
Growing and Changing
After it was built, the church needed more space. It was made bigger in 1856 and again in 1865. These changes were designed by an architect named Edward Holmes.
Over the years, St Paul's Church became very important in the area. Its parish (the area it served) was so big that new churches were created from it. These included:
- St Thomas in the Moors, Balsall Heath (1884)
- St Patrick's Church, Bordesley (1900)
- St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook (1902)
- St Barnabas' Church, Balsall Heath (1905)
A New Beginning
By the 1970s, the old church building was very expensive to maintain. The people who went to St Paul's Church decided to work with another church, the Church of Christ United Reform Church. Together, they planned and built a brand new building.
Construction on the new church started in 1979. It was designed by architects Hinton Brown Langstone. The new building was officially opened and consecrated in 1980 by Bishop Hugh Montefiore. This new building continues to serve the community today.
The Church Organ
The first St Paul's Church had a large and beautiful organ. It was built by a famous organ maker named Henry Willis in 1880. You can find details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register, which keeps records of organs.
When the old church closed in 1979, the organ was sold. It traveled a very long way to its new home! It was moved to St George's Church in Battery Point, Hobart, which is in Tasmania, Australia.
