St. Paul, West Derby

Introduction

Saint Paul, West Derby, in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, was designed by Pugin and Pugin and built in 1914. The church is built of red sandstone with a blue slate roof.

History

The chapel opened in 1881. In 1904, the widow of John Prince arranged the conveyancing of the land in Spring Grove to Bishop Whiteside, as John Prince had bequeathed the site in his will. Archbishop Whiteside laid the foundation stone on 24 January 1914, assisted by Father Leeming. The church bell was consecrated three weeks after the first service and dedicated to St William in honour of William Leeming.

Father Leeming died in 1928 and was succeeded by Father Kavanagh, who was priest in charge until 1930 when Father Alphonse Van Wassenhove was appointed Parish Priest. Saint Paul’s Repair and Building Society was established in 1949 as a charitable trust.

Architecture and furnishings

The church has a 4-bay nave with aisles under cross-gables, a north-west octagonal baptistry, and a short south-west tower. The interior has round columns with four shafts and moulded capitals, boarded timber rib vaults, and a west gallery with narthex below.

The tower has a slate roof in the form of a pyramid and houses the St William bell. The altar is made of marble and alabaster with an inset marble altar stone containing relics of the Saints. The altar was moved forward from its original position against the rear reredos to meet the requirements of the modern liturgy after Vatican II. The lectern was made out of marble from the former pulpit.

The war memorial tablet above the exit door to the Tower lists the Fallen under the banner 'Pro Patria'. The church has a statue of St Paul in a space above the small buttress between the two doorways.

The Lady Altar is appointed with marble and alabaster, with a reredos framing a canopied statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus made of white unpolished marble. The church walls were originally coloured cream from windowsill level upwards with brown below, later replaced by a special process to give a stone effect.

The floor area, including the altar is covered with parquet flooring, with the main and side altar floors having rich patterns in contrasting woods. The chancel has five pairs of windows, with three pairs having stained glass depicting the Trinity, St Margaret of Scotland, St Paul, St Peter and St Matthew. The tabernacle is flanked by two marble angels and has a thin strip of purple marble in front of it, with the words 'In Thy Tabernacle I Shall Dwell For Ever.'

The three confessionals are recessed well back from the right hand (east) wall, behind a quadruple arcade, each fronted by a processional entrance to the Sacristies. The nave has a barrel-vaulted timber roof leading into the timbered roof above the altar. The side aisle roofs are timbered and joined by a timbered saddle-back, with each aisle bay having a three-light window. The nave lighting consists of large hanging lanterns, exact replicas of those installed during a renovation, designed and executed by a local smith.

The altar has three mosaics on its front showing two angels swinging a thurible incensing a lamb standing on a hill with four streams of water. The foundation stone is on a tall pillar between the Sanctuary and the Lady Altar, with a cross carved about eight feet from the ground and a moulded stone base marked with a cross fleury. The font is of white marble with red marble shafts and an octagonal base, with an oak cover with iron strapwork. At the right-hand side of the Lady Altar stands a marble statue of St Joseph holding a carpenter's try-square and a lily.

The Choir Loft is built of wood with a pitch-pine pierced rail. The Knights of St Columba paid for the renovation of the Sanctuary Lamp at St Paul's church. The narthex is screened-off with wood panelling and engraved glass, and its ceiling is the floor of the choir above.

Parish life

The knitting group provides a constant supply of baby hats and shawls for Alder Hey and the Women's Hospital. The original knitting group, called St Paul and St Timothy knitting group, meets in St Timothy's Presbytery. The other knitting group is called St Paul's Cosy/ Knitting Natter Club. The SVP is a very small group in the parish who would welcome new members.

Regular events

The Social and Welfare Group organised the Lourdes at Home Week in July 2018 with six different events. The knitting group has held exhibitions in 2022 and 2023.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The knitting group's first project was to make small baby hats for premature babies. The knitting group has knitted items including infinity balls and fidget sleeves for comfort to use by people suffering from Alzheimer, shawls and blankets for premature baby units, hats, gloves and scarfs for people in need.