It was designed by the architect James William Wild[2] and is sited on Staplers Road in Barton, Newport.

St Paul's was originally a district church in the parish of Whippingham, although serving the Barton area of Newport.

It was intended to accommodate 800 worshippers, including 200 free seats.

[6] The civic cemetery was established on land north of the churchyard and the first burial took place there in August 1872.

[7] By 1897, space was running out in the civic cemetery and the St. Paul's (Barton) Joint Burial Committee (by then under  Newport Town and Whippingham Parish Councils) purchased an area of ground off Halberry Lane for a new civic cemetery.