St Paul’s Church will mark 200 years of serving the people of Ramsey later this month.

It will celebrate by inviting people to visit the church for a hog roast and other activities from 2pm on August 18.

There will also be floral displays, as well as an exhibition of photographs featuring views of the church and South Ramsey dating back to the Victorian era.

The church’s historic silverware and other artefacts, which are normally stored in the Manx Museum, will also be on display.

Built at the time of Bishop Murray, when the town’s population of 1,500 had grown too big for the chapel at Ballure to serve their needs, planning for the church began in 1820 and it was completed in 1822 with the Bishop consecrating it on August 18 that year.

In 1830, the gallery at the west end of the church was built to accommodate the growing number of children attending.

This was followed in 1844 with substantial extensions at both sides of the church to form the north and south wings, which had galleries above and greatly increased the seating available for worshippers.

During the late 1960s, much of south Ramsey was demolished and redeveloped, but the church remained unscathed and saw the addition of a new hall within its grounds, which opened in 1972.

Martin Barrow, lay chair of the Parochial Church Council, said: ‘The church remains a focal point for the local community who continue to worship here and to use it to celebrate significant milestones such as baptisms and weddings.

‘Many organisations use it as a venue for special services and concerts and we want to use these days of celebration to extend a welcome to our whole community to come and visit us and enjoy the activities and displays on offer.’

The church will also be open for anyone to visit from 10am until 5.30pm on August 18 to 20.

On August 21, the bishop is leading a celebratory Eucharist at10am, which everyone is welcome to, and this will be followed by refreshments in the church hall. The church will then be open for people to visit from 2pm until 4.30pm that Sunday afternoon.