St. Paul's, Deptford

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St. Paul's, Deptford is one of London's finest Baroque parish churches. It was designed by architect Thomas Archer and built between 1712 and 1730 in Deptford, south-east London.

It was one of the 50 churches that were to be built by the New Church Commissioners, although only 12 were ultimately constructed.

The church is built from Portland Stone, and, as with most of these churches, it is raised on a crypt that is mostly above ground, thus needing a flight of stairs to enter. The most unusual feature of the building is the circular tower with a steeple, around which is wrapped a semi-circular portico of four giant Tuscan columns. The body of the church is approximately square in plan, with two additional side entrances in the middle of the walls, each approached by a grand staircase. The east wall has a projecting apse.

The interior has two side aisles each separated by two giant Corinthian columns, which continue as attached columns on the other walls. There are side galleries supported by the giant columns, with an organ gallery above the entrance. The east window is in the form of a Venetian Window but following the curve of the apse. This is divided by small Tuscan columns. The church has oftern in the past been the place where Addey and Stanhope School have celebrated their 'Founder's Day'.