Inventory Site Record

St Paulinus Church in St Paul's Cray may date from Saxon times, dedicated to Paulinus who brought Christianity to settlements on the River Cray in the C7th. The present church was built in the C11th with later additions made over the ensuing years. It became redundant by the late 1970s, its interior furnishings were stripped and it was converted to an old people's day centre. It is now an independent Gospel Church of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The churchyard contains numerous monuments.

Previous / Other name:

St Paul Cray Parish Church; The Redeemed Christian Church of God HRMH

Site location:

Main Road, St Paul's Cray, Orpington

Postcode:

BR5 3HQ

What 3 Words:

became.digits.melt

Type of site:

Churchyard

Borough:

Bromley

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

to check

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: St Mary Cray

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/03/2012

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news.

St Paulinus Church in the village of St Paul's Cray dates from Saxon times. In the early C7th, St Augustine, sent on a mission by Pope Gregory, brought Christianity to the south east of England and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. With him were Justus and Paulinus, the former founding the diocese of Rochester and becoming the 1st Bishop of Rochester in 604 AD. Paulinus was at first sent north and on his return became the 3rd Bishop of Rochester in 633 AD, continuing his missionary work in Kent. It is thought he probably sailed down the River Medway from Rochester, past the Saxon Cathedral Church, up into the Thames and on into the River Cray, which was then navigable for small vessels. He continued up the River Cray, where the dedications of the churches of St Paulinus, Crayford (q.v.) and St Paulinus, St Paul’s Cray commemorate the route of his journey. The 1852 Directory records the following: 'The Crays are four highly respectable villages and parishes contiguous to each other, situated in the lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, Hundred of Ruxley, and Union of Bromley, on the banks of the river Cray, in a beautiful and diversified country, interspersed with numerous elegant seats and noble mansions. On the River Cray are several paper mills, which employ a number of persons of both sexes. Each of the Crays has its parish church, but there is not anything remarkable about either of these edifices. … St Paul's Cray is a famous place for the pea crop.' Kent Archaeological Society has a transcription of the memorial inscriptions found by Leland L. Duncan when visiting the churchyard of St Paul's Cray, Kent, on 23 October 1920 and during May and June 1921, which are from his field notebook. When the church became redundant, a number of its furnishings have been distributed, its C15th font to St Martin of Tours, Chelsfield (q.v.) and a C19th lectern to St Mary Cray (q.v.).

Sources consulted:

B Cherry & N Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England, London 2: South' (1983, reprint 1999) p193

Grid ref:

TQ474690 (547420,169070)

Size in hectares:

Site ownership:

The Redeemed Christian Church of God HRMH

Site management:

The Redeemed Christian Church of God HRMH

Date(s):

C11th

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII*: St Paulinus Church

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

St Paul's Cray village centre and river meadows

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance

Other LA designation:

None