St Paul's church sits perched on the hillside in a prominent position in the north part of the town. Originally known as St Paul's Penrhiwgwynt in the Parish of Llanwonno it became part of new parish of Cymmer with Porth in 1890.
The church was built in 1886 to designs of architect E.M.Bruce Vaughan with some later additions. It was refurbished in 1925 by Herbert North, architect of Llanfairfechan - his only known work in South Wales.
It was built in simple Gothic style, of snecked rock-faced sandstone with ashlar dressings, rock-faced quoins, decorative clay ridge tiles to chancel, apex crosses and Welsh slate roof. It comprises nave, slightly lower chancel, gabled lower north aisle (added 1911), cross-gabled south porch, and belltower unusually at the east-south-east corner. The interior is of five bays is open to a simple hammer beam shape roof. Of particular interest is the Comper-style refitting of the of the chancel by North during refurbishments which also included a transparent screen, reredos, altar and celure, and stained glass in the east window by F.C.Eden. The sanctuary south window is by T.Lewis (1988).
The church was due to close during 2014.

Sources:
extracts from Cadw Listing description & J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan (1995), p.527.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/rhondda-nursery-group-leave-church-6535025

RCAHMW, 29 December 2014