St. Paul's Church, Dover

Saint Paul's Church is a Roman Catholic Gothic Revival church situated on Maison Dieu Road, near Pencester Gardens in the heart of Dover. Designed by renowned architect E.W. Pugin, the church was built between 1867 and 1868 to serve the growing Catholic community in the area.

Catholic worship in Dover traces its roots to 1822 when a mission was established in a private house at 45 Snargate Street. By 1834, the growing congregation outgrew its space, leading to the purchase of a former Wesleyan chapel on Elizabeth Street. A new chapel was inaugurated in 1835, but as the Catholic population expanded further, a larger site became necessary.

In 1864, a plot on Maison Dieu Road was acquired, and construction began three years later. The project was largely funded by an endowment from Mary Winifred Saint Martin, Countess de Front. The church was officially opened on 15 May 1868 by Bishop Thomas Grant of Southwark. Over the years, additions included a school in 1872 and an apse in 1873.

The church faced a major setback on 23 October 1987 when it was severely damaged by an arson attack that destroyed the roof and organ. Restoration work commenced on 1 June 1988, and the church reopened on 28 October of the same year, with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Michael Bowen.

Close to Saint Paul's Church is Saint Edmund's Chapel, originally built in 1262 and dissolved in 1544. Efforts to restore the chapel in the 1960s were led by Fr. Terrence Tanner, who served as parish priest of Saint Paul’s from 1958 to 1970. Today, the chapel is owned by The Saint Edmund of Abingdon Memorial Trust. This historic church continues to serve as a cornerstone of Catholic worship and community in Dover.