Thursday, April 14, 2011

St. Paul's United Church In Brampton

Jack Drew the custodian of St. Paul's United Church in Brampton was kind enough to give Lyn and I a tour of the church. Jack is a wealth of information on the church architecture and history. In his voice you can sense the special affection that he has for this wonderful building.

Paul's United Church is not only one of the largest churches in Brampton, it is the oldest. Located at 30 Main Street South in downtown Brampton, this Second Primitive Methodist Church was dedicated on June 6, 1885.

The frame is constructed of limestone hewn from the Credit Valley quarries owned by Kenneth Chisholm near Cheltenham. This Credit Valley stone was also used for the building of the Original Union Station  The St. Paul's United Church roof was made from multicoloured slate. Large stained glass windows in the north, south, and west ends of the building display a fine decorative pattern. The building became home to the Methodists when they joined the United Church of Canada 1925.






The stonework is a marvel.
The church organ has over 2000 tubes

The stained glass windows are an incrdedible sight. Every 50 or 60 years the windows have to be send away for re-leading. because lead is soft and the  glass is so heavy,  the windows actually begin to sag.
A Time Of Reflection
Jack Drew pointed out that there are no level floors in the church. Floors are tapered towards the pulpit to keep the congregations attention on the speaker and sacrements.


















The solid plaster and lathe ceiling makes the acoustics excellent. That is why St. Paul's is a favorite location for concerts. There is a coffee house 'folk music' night every friday evening.