historically, shipley was part of the parish of bradford and did not have a church until well into the 19th century. the first anglican church was the gothic st paul's on kirkgate, consecrated by edward harcourt, archbishop of york in 1826. it was built at a cost of £7,687.19s.3d, a gift of the nation under the million act, on land donated by john wilmer field, from the shipley land-owning family. the parish of shipley cum heaton was created on 30 may 1828 by an order in council of king george iv. st paul's is one of an identical pair of churches with wilsden church. a graveyard was added in 1860, but by 1895 was full and additional land at hirst wood was consecrated. the church seated 1488 and has an organ built by binns of bramley in 1892.