Church of St Paul, Harefield

Introduction

In 1964 a hall and bar were built as the first phase of development, with the hall to be used as a temporary church.

History

In 1929 the Diocese of Westminster bought land that was part of the Old Vicarage Estate, with Cardinal Bourne signing a restrictive covenant. BBC Radio 4 broadcast the Sunday morning Mass at St Paul’s on 28th April 1968. In 1981 a survey found the church hall in poor state of repair, with most window frames rotten and the roof needing major repairs. In the spring of 2015 works were started to upgrade the building and fix problems with the roof, as the Perspex awning had perished and damage had been caused by leaks where lead flashing had been stolen. In the autumn of 2015 a complete set of much-needed new church seating was supplied.

Architecture and furnishings

The building is an economical structure built of stock brick under flat roofs, with a rectangular core that formed the dual nave-hall area in the 1960s. Projecting from the core and facing the road is a polygonal sanctuary, marked out by a large, red brick cross set into the wall. The upper part of the frontage has artificial tile cladding, and to the right is the entrance; to the left a chapel. Inside, the building is remarkably dark due to bare brick walling, a natural wood-coloured boarded ceiling, and a lack of windows.

The sanctuary still retains the folding shutters that enabled it to be separated off when the nave was in secular use. Saint Paul's has a single 2' -0" diameter bell cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1966. The bell was refurbished in 1982 as the wooden cross mounted on top had rotted and broken off while the cage was heavily corroded; a replacement cage was fabricated and a new cross made from hollow steel section. The Lady Chapel was completed in 2017.

The Lourdes grotto in the parish prayer garden was consecrated on 15th August 2017, the Solemnity of the Assumption. Broadbent, Hastings, Read & New of Twickenham designed the church.

Parish life

The parish runs groups for prayer, social action, Sacramental preparation, youth work and support of others. The parish has a Parish Finance Committee. The parish has Eucharistic Ministers. The parish has a Gardening Team.

The parish has a Church Flowers group. Roure House was converted into two flats for use by Harefield Hospital transplant patients and their families visiting the hospital. The parish has facilities for people with disabilities including Sacramental Preparation.