OS grid reference SD 543,298 Denomination Anglican Functional status Redundant Material Sandstone Architectural type Church | Country England Status Former parish church Opened 1882 Construction cost 6,221 GBP | |
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Location St Paul's Square,
Preston, Lancashire Architectural style Gothic Revival architecture Architects Thomas Rickman, Henry Hutchinson Similar St Peter's Church - Preston, Church of St Thomas of Canter, Church of St George the Martyr, St Mark's Church - Preston, St Lawrence's Church - B | ||
St Paul's Church is a redundant Anglican parish church in St Paul's Square, Preston, Lancashire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It was a Commissioners' church, having received a grant towards its construction from the Church Building Commission.
Contents
The building now houses two radio stations.
History
St Paul's was built between 1823 and 1825, and was designed by Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson. A grant of £6,221 (equivalent to £460,000 in 2015) was given towards its construction by the Church Building Commission. In 1882 a chancel was added to the church, and a baptistery was created within the church, by T. H. Myers. The church was declared redundant on 1 January 1979. In 1981 it was bought for £35,000 by Red Rose Radio who spent £780,000 to convert it into a radio station. The conversion was carried out by Sandy Brown Associates. Two radio stations, 97.4 Rock FM and Magic 999, now broadcast from the building.
Architecture
The former church is constructed in sandstone with a tiled roof. Its architectural style is Early English. The plan consists of a seven-bay nave with full-height aisles, a two-bay chancel and offices. It has a three-span roof. The west end is in three sections; the central section is gabled, and the side sections are smaller with angle buttresses. Octagonal turrets rise at the junctions of the sections. In the lower part of the central section is a three-bay arcade, each arch containing a window. Above the arcade are three stepped lancet windows, over which is a small circular window. The turrets are slim and contain open arcading, and an embattled cap over which is a tall pinnacle with a quatrefoil finial. Each side section contains a tall lancet window. Along the side of the church, the bays are divided by buttresses. The first bays contain a doorway with a window above it, and all the other bays have pairs of lancet windows. At the east end of the church are three stepped lancet windows and pinnacles similar to those at the west end.