Church of the Ascension, Malvern Link facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of the Ascension
Church of the Ascension, Malvern Link
52°07′41″N 2°19′52″W / 52.127969°N 2.331116°W / 52.127969; -2.331116
Location	Malvern Link, Worcestershire
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Anglican
History
Founder(s)	Louisa Vavasour Livingstone
Dedicated	3 October 1903 (1903-10-03)
Consecrated	4 October 1989 (1989-10-04)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II Listed
Designated	20 June 1991 (1991-06-20)
Architect(s)	Walter Tapper
Style	Early English
Years built	1902 to 1903
Administration
Parish	Malvern Link with Cowleigh
Deanery	Malvern
Archdeaconry	Worcester
Diocese	Worcester

The Church of the Ascension is a beautiful church located in Malvern Link, Worcestershire, in the United Kingdom. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site. This church was the very first complete building designed by the famous architect Sir Walter Tapper.

The church was a special gift from a woman named Louisa Vavasour Livingstone. She built it to remember her husband, Arthur Guinness Livingstone. He used to be an Archdeacon, which is a senior church leader. The first stone of the church was placed on December 19, 1902. The church was officially opened by Bishop Charles Gore of Worcester on October 3, 1903.

Because Mrs. Livingstone paid for the entire church, the money that was saved was used for something else. It helped build a hall next to the church. This hall was originally planned for a different area called Newtown. The church grounds are not used for burials.

What Does the Church Look Like?

Outside the Church

The Church of the Ascension is built in a style called Early English. This style often features tall, narrow windows known as lancet windows. On the church tower, there is a stone carving that shows the Ascension. This carving was made by an artist named Harry Hems.

A path leading to the main South door is lined with twelve yew trees. The outside of the church is quite simple, with no other fancy decorations. The roof of the main part of the church, called the nave, is made of Cumberland slate. The stone used for the building comes from a quarry in the Cotswolds called Guiting.

The church tower once held two bells. However, in the 1960s, these bells were sold. The money raised from their sale was used to pay for new electrical work in the church.

Inside the Church

The main altar inside the church is made of stone. This design was influenced by the Oxford Movement, a group that wanted to bring back older church traditions. Above the altar hangs a special artwork called a triptych. A triptych is a picture or carving with three panels. This one is closed during Lent, a period before Easter.

The saints shown on the triptych are important to Arthur Livingstone's life. They include St Patrick (because of his Irish family) and St Frideswide (shown with Christchurch, Oxford, where he studied). Other saints like Hugh of Lincoln, The Venerable Bede, St Ethelreda of Ely, and St Edmund of East Anglia are also featured. These saints represent places where Livingstone worked or had connections, like Durham and Sudbury. This beautiful triptych was created by Sister Catherine Ruth. She was part of the All Saints' Community in London.

Other important pieces inside the church were made by different artists. The chancel screen, which separates the altar area from the rest of the church, was made by George Bainbridge Reynolds. He also created the cover for the font and the cross and candlesticks on the altar. A large cross, called a rood, hangs in the church. This rood was made by an unknown artist from Oberammergau, a village famous for its woodcarvings.

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