Church history

Brief History
The present church is the third to built on the site since the beginning of the century.  It was begun, completed and consecrated in one year, 1939, and is affectionately known as a "war baby".  Preston only became a parish in it's own right in 1948, previously it has been part of Christ Church, Paignton.

The first church on the site was consecrated as St.Pauls on the 1st November 1909.  It was soon obvious that it was not large enough to serve the needs of the area and plans were made to replace it by another building, this time wisely known as the second "temporary" church at St.Pauls. The first church remained to serve as a church hall until 1969 when it was replaced by the present hall. From the timbers of the roof a 6' crucifix was carved and now stands in the chapel of the sea.

During 1912 the second church was built in 4 months for the sum of £824.  It was dedicated on the 10th September 1912 by the Bishop of Exeter, but in a few years plans were a foot to consider the building of a third church and in 1912 a building fund was opened.  By 1937 the sum of £4,000 had been collected and in July of that year an architect had been appointed and by November he had submitted plans for the present church. In the following year Staverton Builders' tender of £11,605 was accepted and in January 1939 Dame Violet Wills laid the foundation stone of the new St.Pauls.  This was originally placed beneath the west window but in 1969 it was moved to the new entrance in the new vestibule.  A date in October 1939 was fixed for the consecration but owing to the outbreak of war on the 3rd September this was delayed until the 9th December.

Guide to present Church
Designed to represent a true Devonshire church the financial cost made it necessary to use brickwork instead of stone but fortunately bricks made of local red clay were available and the pinnacles to the tower, the plinths, etc. were executed in concrete toned to match the colour of the bricks.  The main entrance to the church is through the north-west porch and there are additional entrances on the south and east sides of the north transept. The vestries have a separate entrance.  There are also sliding glass doors leading to the vestibule and beyond to the Church Hall. 

The barrel-shaped internal ceiling is another west-country feature.  The main roof is framed with timber and sealed internally with fibreboard in a pointed arch form divided by wood panelled ribs painted and gilded while the aisles have flat-panelled ceilings.  The floor is laid with Canadian birch blocks.  The nave with double-aisles is separated with arcades and the Chancel is flanked by small chapels either side and north and south transepts.  The South transept, with seating for over seventy, also houses the organ loft.  The north transept is extended in the form of a two-storey addition with vestries etc., on the ground floor and a chapel called "The Chapel of the Sea" with further seating for about 40, which is approached by a flight of steps, to 6'6" above the level of the nave.  This chapel was designed to present the Holy Table with a beautiful background of sky and sea.  The Chapel of the Sea also contains the stained glass window of St. Paul, the Patron Saint, which came from the second temporary church and also the wooden crucifix carved from thee timbers of the first church. 

The organ at St Paul's came from a large country house in the north of England, thought to be Temple Newsam, and was built by a Messrs Abbott and Smith of Leeds at the turn of the century. When the mansion was bequeathed to the Leeds City Council, the organ was removed and built into the gallery in the South Transept here at St Paul's, in 1939. In 1969 the console was detached and put where it stands today. With the various additions that there have been over the years, there are now 1070 pipes.