Saint Stephen's Church, Cheltenham

WELCOME to the Church of St Stephen in Tivoli Cheltenham  (Architect: John Middleton 1820 –1886)

St Stephen’s Church is the Parish Church of the part of Cheltenham which includes the whole of the district known as Tivoli and the Hatherley Park area. It is the smallest parish in the Cheltenham Deanery with just over 1100 residents. The Church was consecrated on 20th December 1883.

St Stephen’s was granted Listed Grade ll* Status in 1999 on account of its interior merit. Please come, walk round our church and admire the wonderful architecture.

You have probably entered the Church through the North Porch. The porch was intended to support a tower but this idea was abandoned in the 1930s.

The window near the North Door shows an allegorical figure dressed in the whole armour of God, while next to him stands the Angel of Peace.

The windows in the North Aisle depict St George, Richard Coeur de Lion (1917), King David and a composite picture following the Book of Exodus.

As you move towards the centre aisle look at the West Wall on your right. The statues of the eleven faithful Apostles of Our Lord were added in 1885. Above them is a life sized figure of Our Lord in the act of Benediction. Beneath the statues is a richly decorated wall arcade which, prior to 1897, formed the reredos for the High Altar.

The windows on either side of the statue of Our Lord represent, on the left, the Prodigal Son and Good Samaritan, and on the right,  Transfiguration and Our Lord. These two windows were completed in 1890. Notice too the beautiful Rose window above the statue.

The statue of Our Lady and Child, near the North Porch, is on permanent loan to St Stephen’s and came from All Saints Church, Poplar, London.

As you turn to face the Chancel you will fully appreciate the beautiful internal architecture. St Stephen’s is the only Cheltenham example of the ’Early English Style’ in its late period and was designed by John Middleton. The internal lining and dressing is of Bath stone and relieved by Blue Forest and Red Mansfield stones. Note also the marble shafts in the Chancel supporting the roof and the red  granite piers to the arches between the Chancel and Organ Chamber. The chancel is the original 1873 Chapel of Ease to Christ Church and the Forward or Nave Altar was introduced in the late 1980’s.

Looking above the Chancel Arch you will also appreciate the perfectly semi-circular wood panelled waggon roof. The Nave consists of six bays with the columns boasting fine mouldings and water holding bases. The Clerestory above comprises cinquefoil leaded windows originally filled with Cathedral glass which was removed in 1963 to improve the light within the church.

The Chancel Screen was dedicated in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. A text, taken from the Te Deum, in hammered copper was removed in the 1960’s.

The Hanging Rood was the work of Mr Jethro Harris, a former choirboy and Server at St Stephen’s, and was dedicated in 1950. The figure is

 of carved oak and represents Our Lord as High Priest and King. A wall tablet in the South Aisle records this dedication.

The pulpit is of Caen Stone and replaces the original wooden one which was in use until 1885. Together with the Brass Lectern and choir stalls the pulpit was a donation from the Gillilan family. To your left, as you look at the pulpit, is a carved wood statue of the Christ Child, presented in 1932 as a centre point of a children’s corner.

The statue of St Stephen, in the forward Sanctuary, was purchased in 1973 to commemorate the centenary of the laying of the foundation stone of the church.

The Organ, with 32 speaking stops, was rebuilt by  Norman and Beard in 1912 and remains basically the same today. The organ case was given in memory of a former Churchwarden by his widow.

The East Window is a large four light window surmounted by a colourful Rose. It was completed by Easter 1888 and, in the centre, shows St Stephen being stoned looking up to Heaven and beholding the Glory of God. The lower corners on each side depict further scenes in the life of the Saint.

The statues on the East wall, either side of the High Altar, are of King Alfred and Queen Victoria and were erected in 1914. The side windows in the Sanctuary and also those in the West Wall are made more interesting by the use of double tracery.

On the left of the steps leading into the Lady Chapel, which also serves as the Parish Meeting Room, is the Trowel used by Bishop Ellicot when he laid the Foundation Stone of the Church in 1873.

The Lady Chapel Sanctuary was formed by extending the original South Transept and is built of Painswick Stone. It has a three fold dedication: to the Glory of God; in honour of the Mother of God: and in memory of those who gave their lives in the 1914-1918 world war.

The East Window represents the Risen Christ and the windows on the South Wall show the Saints David, George, Patrick and Andrew. These, together with the Altar Panel, are the work of J Eadie Read. The statues above the Altar are of St Michael, The Blessed Virgin Mary, St John and St Francis. The window in the West Wall illustrates the words of Our Lord ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me’.

One wooden cross, in the chapel Sanctuary, marked the grave in France of Captain Brooke-Murray who died at the Somme. The other cross was, until 1945, in Cheltenham Cemetry on the grave of Captain S V Trevenen and his likeness is reproduced in the window of St George.

The modern statue of Our Lady is of Ancaster Stone on a base of Painswick Stone and is the work of Mrs Ulrica Lloyd of Woolstone and was dedicated in 1955.

Returning to the Nave, the windows in the South Aisle represent Hope and Charity (1896) and St Francis and St Clare (1907).

Between them stands the Gillilan Memorial Brass. The Gillilans were generous benefactors to St Stephen’s Church and lived at The Grange, Cheltenham.

The statue of St Joseph is also on permanent loan from Fr Brian.

The window in the Baptistry shows Our Lord blessing the little children and was given as a memorial in 1902. Near the door hangs a canvas, the original of which is in the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence

The faces of the octagonal Font show the four emblems of the Evangelists and four floral and leaf arrangements. It was in position ready for the consecration of the church in 1883. The font cover, modelled on an ancient one in a Norfolk Church, was presented in 1926.

The Stations of the Cross are in memory of a former choir member and generous benefactor of the church.

The Foundation Stones of the Church and of the Lady Chapel are to be found outside beneath their respective East Windows. High on the West Wall can be seen the statue of St Stephen, and above the South Porch is a statue of St Paul. These statues date from 1886 and 1888 respectively.

The Church Bell was cast in Loughborough and dedicated in1931. It was given on condition that the Angelus was rung daily.

Line drawings by Aylwin Sampson  -  Revised November 2010