Our History
Until the mid-19th Century, the area we currently know as King Cross was a patchwork of fields and small hamlets and was part of the Halifax Parish. An increase of population caused by the industrial revolution, and its position on the main road across the Pennines, meant King Cross became a large suburb of Halifax. To cater for the spiritual needs of the growing population, the Parish of King Cross was created in 1846 and the church itself was built by 1847. The cost of the church was £3,330, with a further £1,300 being spent on furniture, fees etc., and it seated 450 people.
The population of King Cross rapidly increased and by the end of the 19th Century it had reached over 17,000. The current church was far too small and could not be extended due to graves right up to the wall, and it was too expensive to rearrange the parish boundaries. Therefore, the decision was taken to build a new church for the parish on a large piece of land which had become available close by. The last service at the old St Paul’s took place in 1912, but burials continued in the graveyard, including 125 graves on the site of the old church.
Most of the church was pulled down in 1930 after part of the roof collapsed, leaving only the tower and spire, and this area was eventually designated a park in 1973.
