You can’t miss St Paul’s church with its striking red and white exterior. The inside is equally as impressive too.
The original parish church for Ramsey was at “Maughold,”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/man/churchesandcrosses/churches/churches_two/maughold/index.html a walk of nearly four miles. A small Chapel of Ease was built in Ballure, just south of Ramsey in 1784. The population of Ramsey grew rapidly in the early C19th and Ballure was no longer able to accommodate the congregation. A building fund was established and the new church of St Paul’s was consecrated in 1822.
The original building was a simple oblong and was soon too small. The west gallery was added in 1830, mainly for use of the musicians (clarinet, fiddle and serpent) who provided the music until the organ was built in 1852.
The two side wings were added in 1844 with galleries above. The church originally had a small vestry at the east end. This was opened up to form the small chancel and a new vestry was added. The flat roof in the nave was removed, exposing the massive roof timbers. A new font and pulpit were placed in the church. The porch was enlarged in 1938 with stairs leading to the galleries.
It is a very stylish church with a central square tower, white plaster walls and red sandstone corner stones and pinnacles.
Inside it feels a massive church, reflecting the prosperity of “Ramsey.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/man/north/ramsey/ramseytown/index.html There is white painted panelling around the base of the walls. Above is pink painted plaster with an open beam ceiling. There are simple wooden bench pews. The gallery round three side of the church is supported on white wooden props and has purple bands painted on it.
The elaborately carved stone font is late C19th and is at the back of the nave. The pulpit and reader’s desk are painted white and picked out in gold paint. The organ with its painted pipes was installed on the north wall of the choir in 1852.
The chancel is small compared to the rest of the church and reached through a low arch. The two wooden chairs on either side of the altar came from Ballure Chapel when it closed.
The altar stands on three steps and has Christ in Glory in the centre base. On either side are images showing the conversion of Saul and St Maughold landing in Man.
The east window is late C19th and has Christ as the Good Shepherd in the centre panel. On either side is the miraculous catch of fish and a sower. The other stained glass windows are also late C19th.
The Lady Chapel with its carved altar and red hangings is at the end of the south wing. The altar rails came from Ballure Chapel. At the end of the north wing is the memorial chapel with a lovely alter frontispiece with red poppies. Standards are propped against the walls.
The church is on Market Place, a short walk from the shopping centre and is open during the day. Itis well worth finding. The post code is IM8 1LA and the grid reference is SC 453944.
There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/man/churchesandcrosses/churches/churches_two/ramsey/index.html
