St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1849-1851)

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Inspired by the social theories of John Ruskin and A. W. N. Pugin (who designed the Gothic detailing for the Parliament Building in London), Richard Upjohn turned to Gothic architecture as a salve for the “sickness” of industrialization, and as an alternative to the “corruption” of the classical revival (with its pagan associations), which were viewed as emblematic of the spiritual crippling caused by industrial environments.  Thus, the language of St. Paul’s, which is derived from a particular form of 13^th century British Gothic known as Early English, is at once a reference to the religious character of the building and a symbol of spiritual reawakening designed specifically to heal the wounds of industrial materialism by emphasizing craft over mass production and handwork over that of the machine.  The structure is notable for its Medina sandstone exterior, its lancet windows, the simplicity of its moldings, the hammerbeam roof structure of its interior (an expression of architectural sincerity, and the beauty of exposed structural elements common to later Gothic vaulting. 

A fire in 1888 compromised much of the original building, which was rebuilt by Robert Gibson, who added a clerestory, transept arches and detailing from the Decorated Gothic style of the 14^th century – something with which the original architect might have had some exception given his particular social orientation.  The naturalistically carved capitals and the curvilinear tracery of the chancel window are also characteristics of this more ornate phase of English Gothic architecture.

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