Places of worship in Malvern, Worcestershire facts for kids
Malvern, a lovely town in Worcestershire, is home to many different places where people go to worship. Most of these are Christian churches, with 31 in total! You'll find churches from the Church of England, Roman Catholic churches, and others like Evangelical and Non-Conformist churches.
The oldest place of worship here is Great Malvern Priory. It's a huge church, almost like a cathedral, and it's all that's left of a very old abbey from the 10th century. Work on it started way back in 1085!
Building churches in Malvern can be tricky because the Malvern Hills are very steep. Church altars are usually built at the east end, which is hard on a slope! Many churches were built in the 1800s when Malvern became popular as a spa town and grew quickly. Some newer churches, like St Mary's (built in 1960), were added later.
While Malvern has many Christian churches, there aren't specific places of worship for other faiths right in the town as of 2022. For example, the nearest synagogues and Sikh gurdwaras are in nearby cities like Worcester and Birmingham. Hindu temples and other faith centers are mostly found in the larger Birmingham area.
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Church of England Churches in Malvern
Malvern has 11 churches that belong to the Church of England. They each have their own unique history and style.
All Saints Church
This church is one of two Church of England churches in Malvern Wells. It was built in 1903 by architect Troyte Griffith. The church is made of Malvern rag-stone and has a 13th-century style. It's located on a steep slope, which shows how challenging it was to build churches facing east on the Malvern Hills.
- Location: Wells Road, The Wyche, Malvern Wells
- Built: 1903
- Architect: Troyte Griffith
- Bells: One bell in a small tower.
- Website: All Saints, Malvern Wells
Great Malvern Priory
This is the oldest church in Malvern, with building starting in 1085. It's one of the largest parish churches in England that isn't a cathedral. It has beautiful 15th-century stained glass windows.
- Location: Church Street, Great Malvern
- Built: From 1085
- Architecture: Norman and Perpendicular styles.
- Organ: Built by Nicholson & Co Ltd in 1875, and has been updated several times.
- Bells: 10 bells, with the oldest from around 1380.
- Notable people: Anne Darwin, daughter of Charles Darwin, is buried here.
- Website: Great Malvern Priory
Christ Church
Christ Church was built in 1875 and is a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. It was designed to hold 700 people and has a tall, 55-meter spire.
- Location: Avenue Road, Great Malvern, near Malvern station.
- Built: 1875
- Architecture: 14th-century Gothic style.
- Organ: A large organ with 1,486 pipes, built by Nicholson & Co Ltd in 1884.
- Bells: Two bells, cast in 1875.
- Website: Christ Church, Malvern
Church of the Ascension
This church is known for its modern Catholic style of worship and its excellent acoustics. It's a popular place for choirs and Gregorian chants.
- Location: Somers Park Avenue, Link Top.
- Built: 1903. It's a Grade II listed building.
- Architecture: Early English Gothic style, designed by Sir Walter Tapper. It's made of Cotswold stone and has lancet windows.
- Bells: None, as the original bells were sold to raise money.
- Website: The Ascension Centre
Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity was built in 1850-51 and became its own parish in 1869. It has been expanded several times over the years.
- Location: Link Top, North Malvern
- Built: 1850-51
- Architecture: Early Decorated/Early English styles.
- Bells: 2 bells.
- Organ: Originally by Nicholson & Co Ltd, later electronic organs were added.
- Website: holytrinitymalvern
St Andrew's Church
St Andrew's Church was built in 1882 in memory of a member of the Chance Brothers glassware family.
- Location: Poolbrook
- Built: 1882
- Architecture: 13th-century style (Early English).
- Bells: 1 bell.
- Website: St Andrew's and All Saints
St Giles Church (Little Malvern Priory)
This church was once part of a Benedictine Priory founded in 1171. It's a Grade I listed building.
- Location: Little Malvern
- Built: 1125
- Architecture: Mostly 14th-15th century, with some older Norman parts.
- Bells: 1 bell from around 1354.
- Organ: Built in 1882 and refurbished in 2018-19.
- Windows: Features beautiful stained glass from 1480.
- Website: Little Malvern Priory
St James's Church
St James's Church is located in West Malvern and was built in 1885. It's a Grade II listed building.
- Location: West Malvern
- Built: 1885
- Architecture: 13th-century style (Early English), made with Malvern ragstone.
- Bells: 1 bell.
- Notable people: Peter Mark Roget (who created Roget's Thesaurus) is buried here.
- Website: A Church Near You, St James
St Leonard's Church
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St Leonard's is known for its traditional High Church (Anglo-Catholic) style of worship. It was built in 1862 and is a Grade I listed building.
- Location: Newland
- Built: 1862
- Architecture: 14th-century style.
- Website: beauchampstleonard
St Mary's Church, Pickersleigh
St Mary's was built in 1958 to serve the many council estates in the area.
- Location: Sherrards Green Road, Malvern
- Built: 1958
- Architecture: Mid-20th century style.
- Bells: None.
- Website: St Mary's Church, Pickersliegh
St Mary the Virgin Church
This church was first built in 1844 as a smaller chapel for Great Malvern Priory, becoming its own parish church in 1866. It's a Grade II listed building.
- Location: Guarlford Road, Guarlford
- Built: 1844
- Website: Guarlford parish
St Matthias' Church
St Matthias' Church was built in 1844 and has a tower added later in 1898-99. It's a Grade II listed building.
- Location: Church Road, Malvern Link
- Built: 1844
- Architecture: Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
- Bells: 10 bells, cast by John Taylor & Co. The first full peal of Grandsire Triples was rung here in 1901.
- Website: St Mathias' Church
St Peter's Church, Cowleigh
St Peter's Church was built in 1865 and is a listed building. It was designed in the High Church Anglican tradition.
- Location: Cowleigh Bank, North Malvern
- Built: 1865
- Architecture: Designed by George Edmund Street.
- Website: Malvern Link with Cowleigh
Other Christian Churches
Malvern also has churches from other Christian groups, including Baptists, United Reformed, Evangelical, Catholic, Christadelphian, Interdenominational, Methodist, Non-Denominational, Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Quakers, and The Salvation Army.
Baptist
Malvern Baptist Church
This church was built in 1894 in a Victorian Gothic style.
- Location: Abbey Road, Great Malvern
- Built: 1894
- Website: Malvern Baptist Church
United Reformed Church
Malvern Link
This church was founded in 1903.
- Location: Worcester Road, Malvern Link
- Founded: 1903
- Website: URC in Malvern Link
Holly Mount
Founded in 1876, this church moved its Sunday services in 2019 to [The Cube], a community centre.
- Founded: 1876
- Website: Holly Mount Church
Malvern Evangelical Church
This church was founded in 1969, and its current building was built in 2015.
- Location: 204-208 Pickersleigh Road, Malvern
- Founded: 1969
- Current Building Built: 2015
- Website: Malvern Evangelical Church
Non-aligned Churches
Eden Church This church started using its current building, the Eden Centre, in 2015.
- Repurposed: 2010
- Location: Eden Centre, Grovewood Road, Malvern
- Website: Eden Church
Catholic Churches
St Joseph's Church
This is a Roman Catholic church built in 1876 and expanded in 1997.
- Location: 1245 Newtown Road, Link Top, Malvern
- Built: 1876
- Website: St Joseph's, Malvern
St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church
This church was built in 1862 in a 13th-century French Gothic style. It had a major restoration in 2003-2004.
- Location: Wells Rd, Little Malvern
- Built: 1862
- Architecture: 13th-century French Gothic style.
- Organ: Built in 1841 by John Nicholson and has been restored several times.
- Notable people: Famous English composer Sir Edward Elgar and composer Dorothy Howell are buried in its cemetery.
- Website: St Wulstan's Church in Little Malvern
Christadelphian
Christadelphian Hall
This is a place of worship for Christadelphianism, a Christian group that focuses on Biblical unitarianism.
- Location: 21 Abbey Road, Great Malvern
- Website: Malvern Christadelphians
Interdenominational
Wyche Free Church This is an independent evangelical church that has been around since about 1850. The current church building was built in 1910.
- Location: Jubilee Drive, Upper Colwall, Malvern
- Founded: Circa 1850
- Built: Current church built in 1910
- Website: Wyche Free Church
Methodist Churches
Landsdowne Crescent Methodist Church
This Methodist church was built in 1866 in a Gothic Revival style.
- Location: Landsdown Crescent, Great Malvern
- Built: 1866
- Architecture: Gothic Revival style.
Somers Park Avenue Methodist Church
This Methodist church has been on its current site since the 1880s, with the current building constructed in 1936.
- Location: Malvern Link
- Founded on current site: 1880s
- Current Building Built: 1936
- Website: Somers Park Methodist
Non-Denominational Churches
Life Church
This church met at the Malvern Vale Community Centre but closed in 2021.
- Location: Formerly met at Malvern Vale Community Centre, Swinyard Road
Christian Science
The Great Malvern Christian Science Society
- Location: Poolbrook Village Hall, Poolbrook Road, Malvern
Jehovah's Witnesses
Kingdom Hall
- Location: 1 Orford Way, Malvern
Quakers
Friends Meeting House
This meeting house for the Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) was built in 1938.
- Location: 1 Orchard Road, Malvern
- Built: 1938
- Website: Malvern Quakers
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and charity organization.
- Location: 62 Newtown Road, Link Top, Malvern
- Website: Salvation Army Malvern
Buddhist Temple
Bright Earth Temple This temple practices Mahayana Buddhism, with a focus on Pureland Buddhism. The building was originally a guest house from the 1820s and was acquired by the Amida Trust in 2014.
- Location: 34 Worcester Road, Great Malvern
- Built: 1820s (as a guest house), acquired 2014
- Style of worship: Mahayana Buddhism (Pureland Buddhism)
- Website: Bright Earth
