In 1885 Lord Windsor gave one acre of land to locate a church for the new Cardiff suburb of Grangetown. He financed the initial building costs of £4000. The foundation stone was laid in 1889 and the building was opened by the Bishop of Llandaff on 5 February 1890. A chancel was added in 1902.
Pevsner's Buildings of Wales describes the building materials as ‘highly eccentric’. The walls consist of Pennant rubble with dressings of pink Staffordshire sandstone. It also has an early and unusual example of concrete construction; major elements are formed from concrete mixed with pebbles, crushed brick and sandstone chippings.
St Paul’s became famous in 2005 when it was featured in an episode of Dr Who (Fathers Day) and attracts many Dr Who fans.