The history of St. Bride's is associated with that of a proprietary chapel in Percy Street, London, which closed in 1828 due to financial difficulties. Its minister was the Reverend James Halden Stewart, and for some months after the closure of the chapel he had no settled charge. In July 1829 some gentleman offered to build a church for him in Liverpool. He accepted their offer and the foundation stone was laid on 25th August. The church was consecrated on 29th December 1830 by the Bishop of Chester. It was found necessary to close it for four weeks to complete the internal fittings, and it was re-opened on 27th February 1831. A Sunday School was opened shortly after and eight years later St. Bride's National School was opened in Upper Stanhope Street. It is interesting to note that the church, which was designed by Samuel Rowland, does not have a steeple as Rowland wished to avoid comparison with Wren's famous steeple to St. Bride's in Fleet Street, London.

	Photograph by kind permission Dave Wood http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/