Saints Philip & James Parish Church, Up Hatherley & The Reddings Statement of Significance – Church Saints Philip & James Church, Up Hatherley Diocese of Gloucester Gloucestershire Note: This Statement of Significance is based on the information and the views available at the time of its compilation, including a site inspection. It is a summary of principal features and issues, and does not include all matters of interest. It should be treated as an initial guide. When proposals requiring consent under faculty jurisdiction or planning permission are being considered, this Statement will assist in identifying the need for more detailed or extensive investigations to inform a full consideration of the proposals. It should be reviewed and updated regularly by those with appropriate interests and expertise, in conjunction with the Quinquennial Inspection Report. Church address Saints Philip & James Parish Church Cold Pool Lane, Up Hatherley Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 6HX Archdeaconry Cheltenham Parish Council Up Hatherley Parish Council Local Authority Cheltenham Borough Council Date compiled and 19 November 2014 approved by PCC Nat Grid Reference SO 91659 20783 Constituent Church, church centre, churchyard (north and south), Parts and church car park Parish population 13,000 + (estimated) Congregation size Church Electoral Roll: 1191 Average weekly attendance: 852 Use by Church Worship Services take place in church every and significance Sunday, with the main acts of worship being a Said for congregation Mass at 8.00 am and a Sung Mass at 10.00 am. There and community are two regular Said Masses during the week, on Wednesday at 7.00 pm and Thursday at 10.00 am, also on Feast Days. Morning and Evening Prayer are said in church Sunday to Friday, at 9.30 am and 5.30 pm respectively. Pastoral Offices Baptisms, weddings and funerals take place in church, and burials take place in the churchyard. 19 November 2014 1 Statement of Significance – Church Saints Philip & James Parish Church, Up Hatherley & The Reddings Community Special services are held throughout the year, including Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, and these usually attract many people from the local community. On occasions the church has been used for concerts, and the two local primary schools have used it for Harvest and Christmas celebrations. The church is kept open daily from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm for all visitors to find peace and quiet, and for prayer and lighting of candles. It is the only church building in the area. There is no school attached to the church. Church Centre The church centre is used for church activities on Sundays and during the week, and for special church social events throughout the year. It is widely used by the community for social events and by a number of non-church groups during the week. The church and church centre provide a focal point for the community and is a reminder of the history of Up Hatherley and adjacent community of The Reddings. Outline history 13th Century In 1291 the taxation records of Pope of site and building, Nicholas refer to there being a chapelry3 at Up including extent of Hatherley linked to the church of Holy Trinity, any major Badgeworth. restoration 16th Century A valuation of church property undertaken by Henry VIII in 1535 confirms the existence of a chapel. In later years the chapel disappeared (site unknown).4 Kelly’s Directory of Gloucestershire 1885 refers to Up Hatherley as once having an ancient chapelry.5 It states that the church was destroyed in 1640, and the inhabitants of the area attended Saint Paul’s Church, Shurdington. The first parish register of Saint Paul’s has entries of baptisms and burials of Up Hatherley residents dating back to 1559. 17th to 19th Century For over two hundred years Up Hatherley was without a church or chapel. By the mid- 19th Century Up Hatherley was a small parish of only 100 persons, and was loosely attached to the Parish of Badgeworth with Shurdington and Bentham.6 At that time the Revd W.H. Gretton and his wife Laura resided in Up Hatherley. Owing to failing health and finding it difficult to attend the church at Badgeworth, Mrs Gretton planned to have a private chapel built adjoining her house. When residents asked if they could attend the proposed chapel, she decided to personally fund the building of a parish church. 19 November 2014 2 Statement of Significance – Church Saints Philip & James Parish Church, Up Hatherley & The Reddings The church was designed by J. H. Middleton, H. A. Prothero and G.H. Phillot of Westminster and Cheltenham, and cost £2,000 to build. 1885-86 On the feast of Saint John the Baptist, 24 June 1885, Mrs Gretton laid the foundation stone of the church. It was consecrated on Easter Tuesday (27 April) 1886 by the then Bishop of Gloucester, the Right Revd Charles Middleton. At its consecration, the Parish of Saints Philip and James, Up Hatherley came into being. Revd Canon E. L. Jennings was the first vicar of the reconstituted parish, who was of a moderate Anglo-Catholic tradition.7 In the 1950’s Mrs Gretton’s family gave the living of the parish to the Church Union.8 1895 West window depicting Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, by Heaton, Butler and Baynes. 1896 Six chancel windows depicting (north to south): (i) the birth of Saint John the Baptist (on whose festival the foundation stone of the church was laid); (ii) Christ being baptized by John; (iii) Christ teaching his disciples; (iv) the Crucifixion; (v) the Resurrection;(vi) the Ascension, by Heaton, Butler and Baynes. 1900 Pipe organ in the chancel behind the choir stalls. It cost £200 and was made in Cheltenham by A. J. Price. 1904 Wrought-iron chancel screen, by Prothero. 1904-10 Nave windows, three in the north nave wall depicting (the door to screen): (i) King David and King Solomon; (ii) David’s commander Joab; (iii) Ezra and Nehemiah returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple (reminder of the rebuilding of a church in Up Hatherley), and four in the south nave wall (screen to west wall opposite the door): (i) Christ in the midst of children; (ii) the Resurrection; (iii) the Good Samaritan, (iv) Christ blessing people, by Heaton, Butler and Baynes. 1952 Aumbry9 with blue enamelled plaque of the Lamb of God was set into the north wall near the altar. 1977 North porch refurbished. 1979 Church bell replaced. 19 November 2014 3 Statement of Significance – Church Saints Philip & James Parish Church, Up Hatherley & The Reddings 1984-85 One hundred years after the church had been built Up Hatherley and The Reddings had become a suburb of Cheltenham, with a population of over 10,000 inhabitants. The PCC decided to build an extension to the church. The plans for the extension proposed that the axis of the church would be turned ninety degrees, facing south rather than east. The congregation would surround an altar on three sides, positioned in a new sanctuary area. The existing nave would be partially used as a display area and for seating for a large congregation. The chancel and sanctuary of the old church would remain, and be used as a side chapel. In addition, the church extension would lead into a parish social centre/club for the community, which would include a large hall, kitchen, cloak room and toilet facilities, a flexible storage area and a licensed bar. A common lobby and central meeting area, which could be used as an extension of either the church or the centre, would link the church and centre. A mezzanine gallery would be suspended over the meeting area to house a new organ and musicians.10 The architects, Falconer Partnership and Barnwood Builders, oversaw the substantial extension. Work began in November 1984, and completed in the summer of 1985. The south nave wall was removed, and the church was extended to the south and southwest. The re-ordering resulted in the church now having two main entrances, one from the west in the extension, and the other being the north porch. A ventilation turret in the roof was also removed. Some of the stained glass windows from the south nave wall were installed elsewhere in church. Windows depicting the Resurrection and the Good Samaritan were incorporated in the wrought-iron chancel screen. The window depicting Christ in the midst of children was placed in the chancel clerestory, and the one with Christ blessing people, placed in the nave clerestory. Gates were added to the wrought iron screen, and chains on the new south wall suspended a very large wooden cross, made out of the wooden beams of the old church, over the new sanctuary area.11 The original carved stone pulpit and the Caroline font were both destroyed. Pews were all removed and replaced with plastic seats. 19 November 2014 4 Statement of Significance – Church Saints Philip & James Parish Church, Up Hatherley & The Reddings The pipe organ in the chancel was dismantled; its fate unknown. Most of the church furnishings placed in the new sanctuary were second-hand. The development cost in excess of £250,000 and provided only a basic shell. Shortage of funds prevented completion of both the church and centre. The church extension was consecrated on Saturday 21 September 1985, by the then Bishop of Gloucester, the Right Revd John Yates. 1986 Englebement of the new church car park (formally the garden of the old vicarage). 1991 The north porch blocked. 1992 The late-19th Century gate and a section of wall were removed from their original location at the front of the churchyard (west) and re-erected to the east of the churchyard, at the entrance from the car park.