ST. PAUL'S, BRIGHTWATER HISTORY Page 1
Bishop Selwyn who in 1841 was consecrated Bishop of New Zealand, was given money from Biblical Societies and private means, to set up churches within New Zealand. In Nelson the Protestant Episcopal Church Society was set up by prominent Church of England members to carry out these duties. This was later replaced with the Archdeaconry Board under Archdeacon Paul and then the Diocese under the first Bishop of Nelson, Edmund Hobhouse


In 1853 two prominent men from Spring Grove (now known as Brightwater) made an offer to the Protestant Episcopal Church Society, of building a church and parsonage at Spring Grove. These men were Mr.Dickinson who offered land and Mr. Stratford who offered £100 ($200) as the nucleus of a building fund.

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In 1854 the Society gave a £50  grant to the building of a church and at the public meeting it was decided that a church would be built for £234 without lining or interior fittings but to include fencing and the money
would come in by subscription. The church was to be built on land given by Mr. Dickinson at Spring Grove and it comprised of 5 acres - enough for a burial ground, parsonage and glebe.
The land, 5 acres in Spring Grove along with other land, 2 acres at Richmond and an acre at Waimea West were at the Societies recommendation vested in the names of Trustees. These Trustees were: Mr. Saxton, Mr. Muller, Captain Blundell and Mr. Dickinson.