St_Paul's_Church,_Newport,_Wales

St Paul's Church, Newport, Wales

St Paul's Church, Newport, Wales

Church

St Paul's Church is a Grade II listed building in Commercial Street in the city centre of Newport, South Wales, built in Victorian gothic style in 1835–36. It was a parish church of the Church in Wales in the Diocese of Monmouth[1] until 2016, when the congregation moved leaving the building vacant. It was sold in 2018.

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History

The church was built in 1835–36 at a cost of £5,000,[2] with fittings bringing the total to more than £7,000.[3] The land was donated by Sir Charles Morgan, 2nd Baronet, whose family continued as pew-holders and benefactors of the church and parish.[4] Built to seat 1000 people,[3] it was the first church in the town,[2] and became a parish church in the Diocese of Llandaff in 1839. A vicarage hall was added on the grounds of the vicarage in 1879;[3] the church closed in 1991, but after reopening and modern renovations,[5] the hall was combinable with the worship area to make a hall with a capacity of 300.[6]

St Paul's was designated a Grade II listed building on 2 May 1980.[2] In 2016, the congregation moved to a leased building on Bridge Street;[7] it later merged with St Stephen's in Pillgwenlly, in the latter's building.[8] St Paul's church was left vacant and was sold in 2018. In December 2021, an application was submitted to divide the interior into 20 flats;[9] this was rejected in February 2022 after objections from the Georgian Group and the Victorian Society.[10]

Building

The church is attributed to Thomas Henry Wyatt,[2] but the newspaper account of the consecration refers only to "Mr Wyatt" being present, and Pryce's history of the church states that the architect was Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt.[4]

Constructed of rock-faced coursed stone with ashlar dressings, the church is in Georgian Early English Gothic style, a rare example in Wales of the "Gothick" period that pre-dated the Victorian Gothic revival.[4] At the East end facing Commercial Street is an octagonal clock tower with spire.[2] The ceiling was added in 1842 and the church was refurbished in 1859 by G. Clarke of Newport, then redecorated with new porches by Habershon and Fawckner in 1888.[2]

Stained glass

  • Christ the Good Shepherd, the Good Samaritan and Christ Blessing Children (lancets, East end)[4]

References

  1. [1]
    "Church Heritage Record: St Paul, Newport (Former church)". Church in Wales. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. [2]
    Cadw. "St Paul's Church, including forecourt walls and railings (Grade II) (3013)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Kelly's Directory for Monmouthshire". 1901. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012 – via ancestry.com.
  4. [4]
    "St Paul, Newport". Stained Glass in Wales. Retrieved 31 March 2022. Also at Imaging the Bible in Wales Database.
  5. [5]
    "St Paul's Church, Commercial Street, Newport (13098)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Churches: St Paul's Church". Newport City Council. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012.
  7. [7]
    "New Venue". St Paul's, Newport. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016.
  8. [8]
    "About". St Paul's and St Stephens, Newport. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  9. [9]
    Elis Sandford (23 December 2021). "Flats plan for former church in Newport city centre". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  10. [10]
    Elis Sandford (21 February 2022). "Flats plan for empty Newport city centre church thrown out". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
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