All Saints Church, Cheltenham, is a Grade I listed parish church in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

The Buildings of England : Gloucestershire: Nikolaus Pevsner. in Cheltenham. All Saints stands in the Traditional Catholic

tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

of the Church of England. As a parish that rejects the ordination of women, it receives

alternative episcopal oversight A provincial episcopal visitor (PEV), popularly known as a flying bishop, is a Church of England bishop assigned to minister to many of the clergy, laity and parishes who on grounds of theological conviction, "are unable to receive the ministry of ...

from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

History

The church was built between 1865 and 1868 by the architect John Middleton. It was refurbished by

Temple Lushington Moore Temple Lushington Moore (7 June 1856 – 30 June 1920) was an English architect who practised in London. He is famed for a series of fine Gothic Revival churches built between about 1890 and 1917 and also restored many churches and designed ch ...

in 1907.

Interior

The interior is described by

Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel (1887 in Cambridge – 21 June 1959 in Westminster, London) was a British architect, writer and musician. Life Harry Stuart Goodhart was born on 29 May 1887 in Cambridge, England. He added the additional name Rende ...

as "a splendid example of ... complete Gothic self-assurance with Victorian Punch". The stone font by Middleton has a canopy designed by H. A. Prothero (made 1896 by William Letheren). Letheren also made the wrought-iron chancel screen. The south transept rose window follows an

Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August, 183317 June, 1898) was a British painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Millais, Ford Madox Brown and Holman ...

design (made 1901 by Morris & Co.). The church was the location of two

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

s of

Libera Libera may refer to: * Libera (mythology), a Roman goddess of fertility * Libera (choir), a boy vocal group from London * ''Libera'' (film), a 1993 comedy film * "Libera" (song), a song by Italian artist Mia Martini * ''Libera'' (gastropod), a ...

("Still, Still, Still" and "How Shall I Sing that Majesty").

Vicars

*George L. Gardiner : 1888 – 1911

Organ

The Organ of All Saints’ was built in 1887 by the respected firm of William Hill & Son. The specification, consisting of 46 speaking stops, 50 ranks and seven couplers, was drawn up by the Vicar, George Gardiner, and the organist, Adolph von Holst in consultation with the builder Arthur Hill of Hill & Son. By 1896 it had been noted that the Great Organ, speaking directly into the north aisle could not be heard by the choir in the chancel, and in the nave it drowned out their singing. The vicar therefore ordered the addition of a Chancel Great department, to be placed in a new case, designed by H. A. Prothero, above the console. The Open and Stopped Diapason stops were sourced from the Hill transept organ in Worcester Cathedral, which had not long since been rebuilt by Robert Hope-Jones. A Trumpet (placed on the Harmonic Flute slide on the Great, but subsequently removed) and wooden Trombone also found their way from Worcester to Cheltenham. The Harmonic Flute was moved from the Nave Great to the Chancel Great. Hill & Son returned in 1899, replacing the note and stop actions with up-to-date tubular-pneumatic machinery, increased the wind pressure to the 16ft Open Diapason on the Pedal Organ to 5 inches, added a 32ft extension as far as FFFF, and added a Euphonium stop, subsequently revoiced as a Tromba. The Swell Clarion was also added at this time, having been prepared for in 1887. The hydraulic blowing engine, installed in 1887 with the organ itself, was replaced by a 5hp electric unit in 1912 by A J Price. The two stage blower (one main blower, providing low pressure, and a secondary, smaller blower to increase the pressure further) is a vast machine, still operating using the original motor, over a century later. A 4ft open wooden flute was added to the Swell Organ at this time, and the Solo box extended to also enclose the Choir Organ. Price carried out further work in 1927, fitting tuning slides to the fluework, harmonic trebles to the Tuba and increasing its wind pressure to 10 inches. In 1952-3 the Worcester firm of Nicholson & Co. rebuilt the organ, electrified the actions, fitted a four-manual console and made modest tonal changes, primarily to the choir organ. Further changes were made to the Choir and Solo organs in 1968, 1994, and 2007 A specification of the organ can be found on the

National Pipe Organ Register The British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) is a British organisation and registered charity which aims to promote study and appreciation of all aspects of the pipe organ. Further, it acts as a lobbying body to raise awareness of organ issue ...

. Adolph von Holst, the father of

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

, was the organist between 1864 and 1894.Short, p. 10

Organists

*Adolph von Holst 1866 – 1894 *

Thomas John Grainge Thomas John Grainge (1865 - 4 January 1944) was an organist and composer based in England. Life He was born in 1865, the son of James Grainge and Mary Couling of Abingdon. He was baptised in St. Ebbe's Church on 15 January 1865. He studied musi ...

1894 – 1935 *

Melville Cook Alfred Melville Cook (18 June 1912 – 22 May 1993) was a British organist, conductor, composer and teacher. Early life and education Cook was born in Gloucester. He was a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral (1923–1928) and articled pupil th ...

1935Gloucestershire Echo – Wednesday 16 January 1935 – 1937 (then organist of

Leeds Parish Church Leeds Minster, or the Minster and Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds (formerly Leeds Parish Church) is the minster church of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the site of the oldest church in the city and is of architectural and l ...

) *Herbert Byard 1937 – 1945 (afterwards organist of Cirencester Parish Church) *John Wright *Cameron Luke *Alex Fishburn 2019-2022 *James MacDowall-Scott 2022 - present File:All Saints' Cheltenham Altar.jpg, Altar and Chancel Screen File:All Saints' Church Font.jpg, Font

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:All Saints' Church, Cheltenham Church of England church buildings in Gloucestershire Grade I listed churches in Gloucestershire Churches in Cheltenham Churches completed in 1868 Anglo-Catholic churches in England receiving AEO