All Saints' Church, Cheltenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Cheltenham |
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All Saints Church Cheltenham
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| 51°54′8″N 2°3′50″W / 51.90222°N 2.06389°W | |
| Location | Cheltenham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Groundbreaking | 1865 |
| Completed | 1868 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Pittville All Saints |
| Deanery | Cheltenham |
| Archdeaconry | Cheltenham |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints Church, Cheltenham, is a beautiful and historic church located in Cheltenham, England. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered very important and is protected for its special history and architecture. It is part of the Church of England.
All Saints Church follows a style called Anglo-Catholic. This means it has some traditions and practices that are similar to those found in the Roman Catholic Church, but it is still part of the Church of England. Because of its beliefs, especially about women becoming priests or bishops, it has a special arrangement for its spiritual guidance. This is called alternative episcopal oversight.
Contents
History of the Church
This amazing church was built a long time ago, between 1865 and 1868. The main architect who designed it was John Middleton. Later, in 1907, the church was updated and improved by another architect named Temple Lushington Moore.
Inside the Church
The inside of All Saints Church is truly impressive! One expert, Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel, described it as a "splendid example" of Victorian Gothic style.
You can see a beautiful stone font, which is used for baptisms. Its special cover was designed by H. A. Prothero and made in 1896. The detailed metal screen that separates the main part of the church from the altar area was also made by the same craftsman, William Letheren.
Look for the large round window in the south transept. Its design was created by the famous artist Edward Burne-Jones and was made in 1901.
A cool fact about this church is that it has been featured in music videos! The famous boys' choir, Libera, filmed two of their music videos here: "Still, Still, Still" and "How Shall I Sing that Majesty".
Church Leaders (Vicars)
- George L. Gardiner: 1888 – 1911
The Amazing Organ
All Saints Church has a very special organ. It was built in 1887 by a well-known company called William Hill & Son. The design of the organ was planned by the church's leader, George Gardiner, and the organist, Adolph von Holst. They worked with the builder, Arthur Hill.
The organ has 46 different sounds, called "speaking stops," and many pipes. At first, the sound from the main part of the organ was hard for the choir to hear. So, in 1896, they added a new section called the "Chancel Great" above the organ console. This helped the sound reach everyone better.
Some parts of the organ even came from another church's organ in Worcester Cathedral! Over the years, the organ has been updated many times. In 1899, new parts were added to make it work more smoothly. In 1912, the old water-powered system was replaced with a powerful electric motor. This motor is still working today, more than 100 years later!
More changes were made in 1927, 1952-53, 1968, 1994, and 2007 to keep the organ sounding its best.
Did you know that Adolph von Holst, who helped design the organ, was the father of the famous composer Gustav Holst? He was the organist at All Saints Church from 1864 to 1894.
Organists of All Saints Church
- Adolph von Holst 1866 – 1894
- Thomas John Grainge 1894 – 1935
- Melville Cook 1935 – 1937 (later became organist at Leeds Parish Church)
- Herbert Byard 1937 – 1945 (later became organist at Cirencester Parish Church)
- John Wright
- Cameron Luke
- Alex Fishburn 2019-2022
- James MacDowall-Scott 2022 - present
Images for kids
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Altar and Chancel Screen
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Font
