History of St Paul's Church

St Paul's church, formerly a chapel of ease to Lexden, became a parish in its own right in 1879 when it was created from part of the north-east of Lexden parish.

The bishop became the patron at the request of J. Papillon, Rector of Lexden. By 1937 there was a vicarage house at Braiswick; the diocese sold it in 1956 to the retiring incumbent and bought a house in North Station Road.

St Paul's Main Entrance in 1997

The construction in 1933 of the Colchester bypass south of the church and in 1980 of Westway to the north isolated the church from many of its parishioners.

The first stage of the church in Belle Vue Road, consisting of a chancel and nave, was built in 1869 as a result of the arrival of the railway.The building was completed in 1879 by the addition of a south aisle, choir vestry, and south porch designed by J. Clarke.

St Paul's - Easter 1968

The well-known Dr Turner who established Turner Village had a strong connection with the church. He and many of his family were buried in the churchyard.

St Paul's was united with St James' in 1995 The church had been damaged in the Colchester earthquake of 1884 and was declared structurally unsafe in 1999.

As a result of the church had to be demolished and worship moved to the St Paul's Centre.

There is now a Mass every Tuesday in the chapel at the back of the Hall.

The Chapel at the St Paul Centre today

The history of the Parish Church of St James the Great

The history of the Organ in St James' Church