St Paul's Church, Kingsand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Closed |
| Location | |
| Location | Kingsand, Cornwall, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Perkins |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1882 |
St Paul's Church used to be a Church of England church in Kingsand, Cornwall, England. It was built between 1881 and 1882. After 1943, it stopped being used as a church. Today, the building serves as the Maker with Rame Community Hall, a place for local events and activities.
Contents
The Story of St Paul's Church
St Paul's was built as a "chapel of ease" for the main parish church of St Mary's and St Julian's in Maker. A chapel of ease is a smaller church built for people who live far from the main parish church. The main church was over a mile away from Kingsand village.
Why Was a New Church Needed?
Before St Paul's was built, people in Kingsand used a temporary worship space in a house starting in 1876. Two years later, a small "mission room" was built by Kenelm William Edward Edgcumbe, who was the 6th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. However, this room quickly became too small for everyone who wanted to attend.
The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe was very helpful. He gave the land and building stones for St Paul's Church. This was similar to how he helped with St Andrew's in the nearby village of Cawsand.
Who Designed and Built It?
The church was designed by Mr. George Perkins from Stonehouse. Mr. W. B. Carne from Cawsand was the builder.
When Was the Church Opened?
St Paul's Church was officially opened and blessed by the Bishop of Truro, Edward White Benson, on April 19, 1882. On that special day, church leaders and choirs from Maker and Rame walked in a procession from the old mission room to the new church. The bishop gave a sermon in the morning, and Canon Mason preached in the evening.
How Did the Church Become a Community Hall?
In 1930, a parish hall was built next to the church. The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe also provided this land for a very small fee.
In 1943, the parishes of Maker and Rame joined together because fewer people were living there. St Paul's Church stopped being a full-time church that year. It was used sometimes for services until 1952, when it became a church hall.
Later, in 1990, Robert Edgcumbe, the 8th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, gave the building to the local community. After some renovation work, the Earl officially opened it as the Maker with Rame Community Hall on October 8, 1991. Since 1990, about £150,000 has been spent to improve the building. In 2016, 150 local residents and the Earl celebrated the hall's 25th anniversary.
What Does St Paul's Church Look Like?
St Paul's Church is built with local stone and red tiles. It was designed in the Early English Gothic style, which is a type of architecture from the 13th century. The church was made to hold 300 people.
Key Features of the Building
The church had a main open area called a nave, a five-sided area at the end called a chancel, and a porch on the north side. It had tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. There was also a small tower, or turret, that held one bell.
Inside, the church had:
- Pine wood benches for people to sit on.
- An oak pulpit, which is a raised stand where sermons are given.
- A stone font, used for baptisms.
- An oak communion table.
The vicar of Maker gave the font and its marble base. Mr. Carne, the builder of the church, gave the communion table.
Windows and Finishing Touches
The church's windows were filled with "cathedral glass," which is a type of colored glass. After the church was dedicated, more construction work was finished by the end of 1882. By November, the north porch was completed. The large window at the east end of the church was installed with beautiful stained glass made by Messrs Fouracre and Watson from Stonehouse.
