St. Paul’s Church in Brierley was built in 1869 for George Savile Foljambe, Lord of the Manor of Brierley, to the designs of John Wade in the Gothic Revival style.
It was built as a chapel of ease to the medieval church of St Peter in Felkirk, to house the growing population of Brierley and Grimethorpe.

Mr Foljambe provided half the cost of the new church, and the rest was donated by other local principal people, the land for the church and old church school was given by Rev John Hoyland, vicar of Felkirk. The first curate was Rev Godfrey Pigott Cordeux.

The church stands in a small churchyard, which is full, the last burial taking place in 1953. The cemetery is located behind the church.

Having a middle pointed style, the church was built of local sandstone and the roofs covered in Burlington slate, and is quite lavishly detailed, with carved corbels at the base of the roof trusses and carved label stops to windows.

There has been little alteration to the church over the years, apart from the insertion of stained glass into the south windows.

The church’s recent history is one of neglect, but a programme of repair works is re-invigorating the role and status of the building within the community of Brierley. After the new Parish of Grimethorpe with Brierley was created in 2005, a small re-ordering scheme was carried out which included the removal of some pews and choir stalls, to improve the flexibility of the building.

Thanks to a 75% grant by The Heritage Lottery Fund and numerous local fundraising events (notably by the Friends of St. Paul's Church), the tower and clock were restored in May 2008 at a total cost of almost £120,000.
St. Paul's now has a functioning clock for the first time in over 40 years!

The hand painted canvas panel sanctuary ceiling was restored in 2009 and the church was fully re-carpeted in 2009.

If you require further information regarding weddings or baptisms, please contact Fr Peter Needham on (01226) 717561 or attend the Parish Office at The Vicarage in Grimethorpe on Friday Evening between 6.30pm & 7.30pm

Directions to St. Paul, Brierley, S72 9JE

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