Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9422NE ST JAMES'S SQUARE 630-1/9/835 (East side) 05/05/72 Church of St Gregory

GV II*

Roman Catholic Church. 1854-7, tower and south porch of 1859 with west end completed 1875 and consecrated 1876; c1970s extension to presbytery. Architect, Charles Hansom; builder, Mr Acock of Cheltenham with completion of the church and much of the carving by Boulton of Cheltenham and reredos by Farmer of London; stained glass by Hardman. For the Benedictine Order. Stone with ashlar and Aberdeen granite dressings and plain tile roof. STYLE: Middle Pointed PLAN: the church is not orientated normally but has its chancel to the south end, the description refers to liturgical points; cruciform plan with 5-bay aisled nave with clerestory and west chapels with 3-stage west tower with octagonal spire; transept with south-east (Lady) chapel and north-east sacristy, 2-bay chancel. EXTERIOR: Chamfered plinth throughout. All windows have Decorated-type tracery to heads. Tower: angle buttresses, gabled, surmounted by pinnacles with finials to corners of enriched parapet which has canopied niche to centre of each face with figures of saints (George, Ambrose, Gregory and Augustine). Stair turret to north east. Entrance in west end, 2 plank doors in Caernarven-arched surround and with banded column between surmounted by figure of St Gregory the Great, with carved panels to tympanum showing St Gregory's visit to Britain and St Augustine preaching to Ethelbert, King of Kent. 3 orders of arches on columns with foliate capitals, decorated ogee hoodmould. Moulded first-stage band and 4-light west window; clock over (to west and south sides); 2-light belfry windows with column between and single order of arches. Spire has 2 tiers of lucarnes. Gabled south porch to 2nd bay has double pointed doors within arch on column cluster responds with cusped cinquefoil head with foliate decorations and hoodmould with headstops; Christ enthroned above; copings and cross to apex. To west of porch a gabled chapel with buttresses, 3-light window with 4-centred arch and with 2 lancet windows with tracery to head to west side, all with hoodmoulds and face stops. Aisle (south): first bay has three 2-light windows; otherwise three 2-light windows. North aisle has similar fenestration. Clerestories have stepped and cusped 3-light windows in chamfered surrounds. Tall, gabled transepts

have 4-light pointed windows with hoodmould and facestops to south on angel corbels. Lady Chapel has two 2-light windows with continuous hoodmould and face stops; 3-light window to east end with ogeed hood rising to statue of Blessed Virgin Mary. Chancel has 5-light east window with hoodmould and face stops, small window to apex. Belcot over chancel arch. INTERIOR: aisles have double-chamfered, pointed arcade on column clusters; similar arches to west end of nave on angel corbels; continuous hoodmould. Similar, taller double-chamfered arches to crossing and chancel, all with hoodmoulds and on column cluster responds. South-west chapel has octagonal font on short columns and with quatrefoils to faces; ornate ironwork balustrade. West screen with 3 arches on column clusters with foliate capitals, 4 figures of saints on column corbels at level of balustrade which has blind tracery. Pulpit (by Boulton) has scene of Christ preaching on the Mount, also St Gregory and St Benedict. Reredos has canopied niches with figures of the Evangelists with SS Gregory and Benedict. 14 Stations of the Cross (by Boulton). Cornices enriched by carved paterae. Ceilings to chapels and sanctuary have painted panels. Nave has arched-braced roof the principals springing from circular shafts with moulded caps and bases. Complete set of Hardman windows. The west tower with spire provides a prominent local landmark. An important townscape feature. Adjoins The Old Priory, No.70 Clarence Street (qv). (Sampson A and Blake S: A Cheltenham Companion: Cheltenham: 1993-: 113-114; Blake S: Cheltenham's Churches and Chapels AD 773-1883: Cheltenham: 1979-: 32-33; Close J, Clarke A and Clarke R: St Gregory the Great Cheltenham: 1977-; Sladen T: Notes: 1995-; Howell P and Sutton I: Faber Guide to Victorian Churches: London: 1989-: 25).



Listing NGR: SO9457222540

External Links

• St Gregory's Church at Wikipedia
• St Gregory's Church official website
• Wikidata Q17535759

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)