St Paul's Church, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church, Jewellery Quarter |
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| 52°29′07″N 1°54′21″W / 52.4853°N 1.9058°W | |
| OS grid reference | SP064874 |
| Location | St Pauls Square, Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Inclusive Church |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1779 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 10 |
| Tenor bell weight | 12 long cwt 2 qr 13 lb (1,413 lb or 641 kg) |
St Paul's Church is a Church of England church located in St Pauls Square in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, England. It is known for its beautiful Georgian architecture style.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
St Paul's Church is a very important historic building, listed as Grade I. It was designed by an architect named Roger Eykyn from Wolverhampton. Construction began in 1777, and the church was officially opened and dedicated in 1779. The land for the church was given by Charles Colmore from his Newhall estate.
This church was a special place for Birmingham's early business leaders and inventors. Famous people like Matthew Boulton and James Watt had their own pews here. Back then, church pews could be bought and sold, almost like property!
The church building is shaped like a rectangle. The tall upper part of the tower and the spire were added later, between 1822 and 1823. These parts were designed by Francis Goodwin.
In 1841, St Paul's Church became its own parish, which is like its own local church district. Later, in 1947, another church called St Mark's was taken down. Its parish then joined with St Paul's.
During the Second World War, the church was damaged by bombs. Repairs took place from 1949 to 1951, and much of the roof had to be replaced. The church also went through a big restoration project between 1985 and 1994. In 2005, a set of 10 new bells was installed.
Stained Glass Windows
The church has some amazing stained-glass windows. The window at the east end is very important. It was made in 1791 by Francis Eginton using a special enamelling technique. The design is based on a painting by Benjamin West and shows the Conversion of Paul, which is a key story from the Bible.
In the south-east part of the church, there is a window made around 1880 by a company called Ward and Hughes. Other windows were made by Pearce between 1900 and 1907. There is also a modern window in the north aisle, created by Rachel Thomas in the year 2000.
The Church Organ
The first organ at St Paul's was built in 1830 by James Bishop. It was placed on the balcony at the west end of the church. Over the years, the organ was made bigger and rebuilt several times by different companies.
In 1927, the organ was moved to where it is now by Conacher Sheffield & Co. Because of the move, some parts of the organ's outer case had to be changed. For example, some parts were removed and used to make a screen facing the north gallery.
After the war damage, the organ was in poor condition by 1953. The "Choir division" of the organ was completely destroyed. In 1964, Hill, Norman & Beard rebuilt the organ. This is mostly the organ you see today, though some small updates were made in 1996. The organ uses a mix of old and new parts, including some original pipes from 1830!
Organists of St Paul's Church
- James Kempson c. 1780
- Jeremiah Clark c. 1800
- William Ward 1820– ????
- Thomas Munden ???? – 1838
- George Hollins 1838 – 1841
- James Stimpson 1842 – ????
- Mr. Evans c. 1852
- Frederick Barnby 1857–1859
- John Pearce ???? – 1870
- Frederick Harrod 1870 – ????
- Bernard Farebrother 1873 – 1884
- Edward Percival Oxley 1908 – 1956
- George John Halford
- Cyril Raymond Mapstone 1961 – 1986
- Howard Chapman 1986 – 1988
- Andrew Hudson 1988 – 1991
- Andrew Burling 1991 – 1992
- John Pryer 1992 – 1995
- Dr. Stephen Lansberry 1995
- Gareth Perkins 1995 – 1997
- David Griffiths 1997 – 2001
- Kevin Gill 2001 – 2003
- Paul Carr 2003 – 2016
- Anne Michael 2017 – 2018
- Joshua Hughes 2018 – 2020
- Dylan McCaig 2021 – 2023
- Darren Hogg 2023–present
Church Bells
St Paul's Church got its first full set of ringing bells in 2005. Before this, it only had three bells used for services and clock chimes. A new set of ten bells was put in to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers. They were officially opened on November 25, 2005. The heaviest bell, called the tenor, weighs about 12 and a half long tons.
Notable Burials
- William Hollins (1763–1843), an architect and sculptor, has a monument inside the church.
Images for kids
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The east window showing The Conversion of Saint Paul.
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An inside view showing the balcony and ceiling.
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The church pews where people sit.
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The church seen from the south, with St Pauls Square in front.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Pablo (Birmingham) para niños
- List of works by Francis Goodwin
