A Short History of the Church

Pearson Thompson gave the land on which Christchurch is built. He was an enterprising landowner, for whom the Montpellier Rotunda Spa (now Lloyds Bank) was built. The church foundation stone was laid in 1837 by Francis Close, then incumbent of Cheltenham Parish Church and later Dean of Carlisle. Dean Close School bears his name. The church was consecrated in 1840. The architects were R W and C Jearrad, you also architects for the Queens Hotel. Thomas Newton, the builder, was lost at sea in 1849 when on his way to South Africa. His memorial plaque is at the west end.

Cheltenham expanded rapidly after George III came and took the waters in 1788. Most unusually, Christ Church was built before the surrounding houses – it was there before the people. Stone from Whittington was used and the cost of £17,000 was raised by the sale of shares. Two thousand sittings were provided, one fifth of them being reserved for the poor. Some of the alterations in 1865, 1875, 1887, 1966 and 1976 caused the seating to be reduced.

In 1888 land was conveyed free of charge by Mr A Bruce-Pryce in order to build an apse and dome at the east. In the dome Christ is portrayed surrounded by angels and flanked by the Apostles. The text reads, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst the fountain of the water of life freely.” Note the water gushing out under the throne. The book Christ holds reads “I am the light of the world”.