| Administrative History | Until the church of St. Mary was built in 1819-1821 the old priory served as the parish church of Birkenhead. The rapid expansion of the town during the nineteenth century resulted in the formation of new parishes:- Holy Trinity 1841, St. Anne 1850, St. John 1859, St. Paul 1864, St. Peter 1868, St. James 1869, St. Matthew 1914. The parishes of St. Paul and St. Mary were united in 1948 and St. Paul's church subsequently pulled down. In 1970 the church was declared unsafe and services were discontinued. The church was officially closed in 1974 as part of the scheme for the reorganisation of the Birkenhead parishes, though services continued to be held in the Priory. |