In 1631 the Earl of Bedford commissioned celebrated architect Inigo Jones to build a square and encircle it with mansions and a chapel. When it came to the building of the chapel the Earl of Bedford, whose money was running low, asked for it to be no more elaborate than a barn. 'You shall have the finest barn in London' was Inigo Jones reply. The Church was completed in 1633 and consecrated for worship five years later.

In 1645 the church was given its own parish and was dedicated to St. Paul that same year. In 1665 the daughter of a local doctor was buried in the graveyard- unbeknown that she was the first recorded victim of the great Plague that swept through London soon after. In 1795 a fire devastated St. Paul's and considerable restoration work followed. A new organ, built by Henry Bevington, was installed in 1861.

Today St. Paul's is still the parish church of Covent Garden, its parish incorporating Holy Trinity, Kingsway and St. John in 1986. Services are still held regularly at St. Paul's attracting a varied congregation from across London. To many St. Paul's offers a haven of serenity just a few feet from the fervour of Covent Garden and the city beyond.