St Paul's History
St Paul's Church today is the parish church of Preston, Paignton. During the 19th century Preston grew from a tiny hamlet into a suburb of Paignton. Church Services were held above a stable on the gasworks until the first church was consecrated in 1909.The present church building is the third to be built on the site during the 20th century. It was begun, completed and consecrated in one year, 1939.
The first St Paul's church was built in 1909, in response to the growing population of Paignton, as a daughter church to Christ Church which itself was built in 1889. The population continued to swell and in 1912 a second, temporary St Paul's church was consecrated and later demolished to make way for the third version of St Paul's which is the church we have today. In 1948 St Paul's became a parish in its own right.
The first church on the site was consecrated as St Paul's on 1st November 1909 and it remained to serve as a church hall until 1969 when it was replaced with the present main church hall. A 6 foot crucifix was carved from the roof and this stands in the Chapel of the Sea in the main church building.
During 1912, the second church was built in 4 months for the sum of £824. It was dedicated on the 10th September 1912 by the Bishop of Exeter. Within a few years the congregation began considering building a larger church building and in 1922 a building fund was opened. By 1937, £4,000 had been raised and in July of that year an architect was appointed and by November they submitted plans for the present church.
In 1938 Staverton Builder's tender of £11,605 was accepted and in January 1939 Dame Violet Wills laid the foundation stone of the new St Paul's. Due to the outbreak of war the consecration ceremony was delayed until December 1939.
The church was designed to reflect the red earth and stone of Devon but the financial cost made it necessary to build with brick instead of stone. Bricks made of red clay were sourced and the pinnacles to the tower and the plinths were made of concrete, toned to match the colour of the bricks.
The main entrance to the church is through the North West foyer and there are additional entrances on the South and East sides of the North transept. The vestries have a separate entrance. There are also sliding doors leading to a vestibule and beyond to the Church Hall.
The barrel-shaped internal ceiling is a West Country feature. The main roof is framed with timber and ceiled internally with fibre board in a pointed arch form, divided by wood pannelled ribs, painted and guilded, while the aisles have flat pannelled ceilings. The floor is laid with Canadian birch blocks. The nave with double aisles, is separated by arcades and the chancel is flanked by small chapels wither side and North and South transepts.
The South transept, which could potentially seat 70, also houses the organ loft. The North transept is extended in the form of a two- storey addition with vestries on the ground floor and the Chapel of the Sea with a seating area to accomodate 40 which is approached by a flight of steps to 6ft. 6 ins. above the level of the nave. This chapel was designed to give a view of sea and sky beyond the Table. It also contains a stained glass window of St Paul which came from the second temporary church and also the wooden crucifix carved from the roof timbers of the first church.
The Communion Rail is unusually long, running the width of the chancel and between the two arches on either side.
The REREDOS contains a carving of the supper at Emmaus when, at the breaking of the bread, the risen Lord Jesus was revealed to the two disciples. The Reredos, Table, Communion Rails and Pulpit were made by J. Wippell & Co. of Exeter. The circular stained glass window of the Good Shepherd, above the Table is by stained glass artist Christopher Webb. The North Window depicts the Prince of Peace and the South transept Window the Annunciation.
The ORGAN was orignally built by Messrs Abbot & Smith of Leeds for a private house in the North of England and was purchased for St Paul's for the temporary church. When the new church was built it was moved to the south transept and later a new, detached stop-keyed console was placed on the opposite side of the chancel. There are two manuals CC to A (58 notes) and pedals CCC to F (30 notes), 21 speaking stops and 8 couplers. The wind pressure is at 4 inches at A = 440 cycles per second and blowing by Watkins & Watson Ltd of London. There are 1,070 pipes in total and the action is electro-pneumatic throughout.
The TOWER stands 70 feet high and is surmounted by an alluminium cross which is illumintaed at night and is charted as a navigational aid for shipping. Starting from the heating chamber and climbing 94 steps to the top, the spiral staircase passes the vestries, the Chapel of the Sea, ringing chambers and a bell chamber to reach an open-air platform where there is a 360º view across Paignton and the sea. The intended bell was never installed, the metal being required for war purposes.
The original seating was replaced by Oak pews and the church can now seat 400 people.
The FONT came from the second, temporary church and the other furnishings were donated by parishioners and friends.
In 1968 it was decided to build a new Church Hall, replacing the first Church which had continued to be used as a hall. A new kitchen was donated in 1963 and this determined the design of the Hall which was completed in 7 months at a cost of £18,771. The Hall is integral with the main church building and has 2 meeting rooms.
There is also a Youth Hut to the rear of the church sited in a field (which for some time was used for allotments) with views to the sea.
The entrance foyer to the church was built in 1989/90 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church.
The GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE adjoining the church building was consecrated on 22nd September 2002. It is accessed from within the church via a door at the south side of the nave or via a gate from the rear car park.
There is also significant car parking available both to the front and rear of the church.