Church Of St Paul

TQ 1402 SE WORTHING CHAPEL ROAD (West side) 753/3/22 CHURCH OF ST PAUL 11.10.1949 II*

Chapel of ease, now church. 1812, exterior by john Rebecca of Worthing, interior by Charles Hide; extended and altered 1893. Yellow stock brick in Flemish bond with ashlar dressings, east end stuccoed and scored as ashlar; concealed roof 2 storeys, 3 x 6 bays. East end: 3-bay pedimented Tuscan portico on 3-step podium with attached pilasters at gable wall. Blocked central entry, now window, and side-doors, all in moulded architraves, the side-doors having panelled double-doors and fanlights with decorative glazing bars. Plat band breaking forward over doors and with segmental pediment over central door; 3 recesses above. Behind portico, body of church has tall, flat-coped, parapet with dies and, at east end, central cupola, on stepped podium, with Greek-key fueze and ball-finial. Returns: east bay treated as front and having a curved-backed rectangular recess to ground floor and a 24-pane sash window in eared architrave above. T o rest, 2-1ight segmental-arched mullioned windows to ground floor and round-arched windows above, all having gauged brick arches and stone inner surrounds and cills; ashlar cill band to 1st floor. On south side at left end, steps up to door in projecting flat-roofed porch; further left, tall added l-storey block with 2 windows. North side marked by attached church hall of 1964. Interior: added chancel at west end in classical style with columns, attached pilasters, moulded cornice, keyed arch with panelled soffit, panelled vault, tessellated floor, and alabaster and marble facings of 1912. Body of church has coffered ceiling with panelled beams; columns support side galleries which have panelled and balustraded fronts and original pews; organ gallery at east end with royal coat of arms. Decorative rnid-C19 wooden pulpit and choir stalls. Font, brought from Chichester Cathedral, has C 15 octagonal polished stone bowl. The chapel of ease was built to serve Worthing when this was still part of the parish of Broadwater. H A L Jefferson, St Paul's Church Worthing: a short history (1969).

Listing NGR: TQ1481802837