te of the proposed church
there are at least 400 inhabitants, distant from the other Forest
churches about six miles, and from any parish church nearly three miles.
The chapel of Bream, the nearest episcopal place of worship, is too small
to accommodate even one-third of the population of its own tithing.
Being thus unprovided with a place of worship and the means of public
instruction, and following the corrupt dictates of their untutored minds,
the natural consequences are gross ignorance of the Scriptures, a
shameful profanation of the Sabbath, and a total neglect of all the
duties of religion, accompanied with a general prevalence of disorderly
and immoral conduct." This application met with a generous response from
Bishop Ryder, Edward Protheroe, Esq., the Earl of Liverpool, the Right
Hon. N. Vansittart, Edward Machen, Esq., Lord Calthorpe, Lady Olivia
Sparrow, Mrs. H. More, &c.

The site chosen for the new church, as being most convenient of access
for the largest number of persons, was "Mason's Tump," situated
immediately to the east of Whitemead, Park End. In the two previous
instances of church-building at Berry Hill and Holy Trinity, little had
been attempted in the way of appropriate design; but in this case Mr.
Poole's practical knowledge and good taste enabled more to be
accomplished. At a total cost of 2,731 pounds, including the churchyard
boundary wall and gates, a cruciform edifice, enlarged into an octagon
forty-six feet in diameter at the intersection, having a total length of
sixty-six feet, so as to accommodate 500 people, was erected in the
Decorated style of architecture; attached to which there was also raised
a well-proportioned tower, eighty feet in height, and intended to contain
a small peal of eight bells, Edward Machen, Esq., presenting the treble,
as well as a good clock with three dials.

[Picture: St. Paul's Church, Park End]

The church now possesses a good finger organ, removed from Ross church,
and said to have been used originally in Salisbury Cathedral. There is
also a rich reredos under the east window. At eleven o'clock on the
morning of the 2nd of May, 1822, Dr. Ryder, the Lord Bishop of
Gloucester, attended by thirteen clergymen and many of the magistrates
and gentry of the neighbourhood, proceeded to the spot for the purpose of
dedicating the fabric to the service of God as the Church of St. Paul.
The Bishop entered the edifice by the west door, followe