Leicester: St Paul
Diocese of Leicester
Closed Church, 619043
http://www.saintsapa.org.ukOverview
Grid reference: SK 574 44
The church was designed by Ordish & Traylen and built between 1870-71. The planned spire was never built, leaving the south-east tower as a stump. The building has not been altered substantially since.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
5-bay aisled nave and 3-bay polygonal chancel, south-east tower, north-east vestry and sacristy, shallow north-west and south-west porches.
Dimensions:
Nave 24.5m (75ft) by 8m (25ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 730 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by Ordish & Traylen and built between 1870-71. The planned spire was never built, leaving the south-east tower as a stump. The building has not been altered substantially since.
Exterior Description
This is an impressive church which has a strong visual impact, the east end facing onto the road crossing and thus visible as one approaches from several directions. This end of the church is treated with some flair to exploit this, the polygonal apse provided with gables set above each of the five cusped triple-lancet windows, each with a sexfoil in the head. The feel is early 13th-century, but treated with a sturdy simplicity unusual for the period.
The eastern aspect is given more vertical emphasis by the large square south-east tower which is of one tall stage with a large two-light with plate tracery in the south wall above a pointed twin doorway with a spandrel between. There is also a single lancet half way up, to light the stairs, but no belfry openings as such. A large, rather odd buttress of three differentially pitched weatherings clambers up the face at the west corner to the height of the lancet. The tower now ends in a very low pyramidal roof. One can only speculate on the powerful appearance of the church if the planned lofty spire had ever been built.
The nave is slightly higher than the chancel, and is lofty and long with a clearstorey with three twinned two-lights with plate tracery between a single such light in the eastern and western bays. The much lower aisles under separate gables have short gableted buttresses, between which are three-light cusped lancet windows within square frames, again the east bay is treated differently with a two-light and the western bay is blocked by the porches. The east and west aisle walls have two-lights with plate tracery.
The west front is surprisingly plain, with a large three-light in the same style as the chancel windows. The original west doorway with its segmental arched head has been blocked.
Building Materials
Mountsorrel Granite
Bath Stone
Dressings
Slate
Roof
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside the church and beginning at the west end, the interior is whitewashed throughout, through which the blocked west doorway can still be seen.
The nave is conventionally furnished with rows of benches, the font occupies the north-west corner. The low aisle arcades are pointed and of banded sandstone, worked with a hollow chamfer and rising from stumpy piers. These are alternately circular and octagonal on moulded bases, with capitals enriched with stiff-leaf carving.
The aisle windows are set within deep recesses with depressed-arched heads, the clearstorey and chancel windows similar but with pointed arches. There is a stone string-course under the clearstorey windows, on which the stone corbels from which the timber roof rises rest. The corbels are carved with floral clusters. The nave roof itself has arch-braces to a waggon roof construction. The floor is of quarry tiles.
The chancel arch is surprisingly plain, in the same style as the aisle arcades and dying into the walls. Beyond it, the pointed chancel roof of three bay is boarded between wooden ribs, the polygonal apse handled the same way. The chancel floor is of decorated encaustic tiles, with two steps to the chancel, two more up to the sanctuary and three to the High altar.
There is a blocked arch at the east end of the south with a Lady Chapel in front. This is enclosed to the north by an open oak traceried screen across the eastern bay of the aisle arcade, with a wrought iron arch above with the M monogram. The corresponding north gable has a small rectangular doorway giving access to the vestry, set within oak panelling around an All Souls Chapel.
The chancel has similar oak panelling right around the walls, with organ pipes mounted above this on the south wall, blocking another arched opening. The main focus is the gilded mosaic reredos in the sanctuary and stained glass in the east window behind. The altar has been brought forward to the nave because of the unsafe chancel roof (see below), and many of the furnishings removed.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th Century Oak table pierced with quatrefoils and with painted panels, c 1871, now situated on a dais in front of the chancel arch. Smaller version in the Lady chapel.
Pulpit
Hexagonal limestone pulpit with marble bands around the upper part which is corbelled out from a stumpy cylindrical base. En suite stone steps.
Lectern
Catalogue wooden lectern.
Font (component)
19th Century Squat stone font, very angular, set on a central moulded base enclosed by four colonettes, 1871. Flat oak cover.
Stained Glass (window)
20th Century In the east window, the Ascension, artist unknown, 1957. Full scheme of glass in the aisles, of which the best is two good windows by Morris & Co in the south aisle, dedicated by members of the Yearby family and dated 1928 and 1933. The south-eastern aisle window is by Burlison & Grylls, dated 1902. Most of the glass is later, replaced after 1939 presumably after bomb damage, and two windows dating to the 1970’s dedicated by the Quarterman family, including George Quarterman, died 1918.
Plaque (object)
19th Century to 20th Century Marble tablets mounted on the eastern piers commemorating two previous incumbents, Canon J Mason (1871-1911) and Rev C E Jenkins (1911-1928).
Organ (component)
20th Century Pneumatic action organ with electric blower, rebuilt by Taylor & Sons in 1931. Detached console with Taylor’s special stop-control system. Refurbished and extended in 1968 and 1979.
Pew (object)
Dark-stained pitched pine bench pews with squared ends and panelled backs
Altar Rail
19th Century Oak rails in a robust style (c 1871) with square inset panels reminiscent of the font and other fittings, in the sanctuary and Lady chapel.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers not seen. Services since 1896, marriages and baptisms since 1956.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SK 574 44
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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