Church Of The Ascension Including Church Hall To East

SO 74 NE 943/12/183

MALVERN HILLS MALVERN SOMERS PARK AVENUE MALVERN LINK Church of the Ascension Inc. Church Hall to East

II

Parish church. 1903 by (Sir) Walter Tapper. Rendered brick with Guiting stone ashlar dressings. Collyweston stone tile roof, chancel reclad in late C19 and west tower with organ chamber in first stage. Church hall detached at east end of chancel. Free Early English lancet style. Tall 4-bay nave with pairs of lancets high in north and south walls between flat buttresses and with high moulded plinth. South doorway of 2 orders and brattished door. Plinth continues around chancel where ground is lower giving impression that the 3-bay chancel is taller. Chancel has single light lancets on north and south walls, triple lancet at east end and stone bellcote at chancel nave junction. Small ashlar west tower, cross-gabled and with 2-light north and south bell openings; below west gable a stone relief of the Ascension by Harry Hems of Exeter with carved inscription and triple lancet below. Small stair turret in north west angle of nave and tower. Wrought-iron weather-vane on tower, cross over east gable and stone chimney on north side of chancel. Church hall at east end has two pairs of 3-light cross-mullion transom windows in 2 bays and is linked to chancel by a porch. Interior: Plastered walls and stone dressings. Nave vault with transverse ribs on tall shafts. Trifarium has 4 bay arcades in each of the naves 4 bays. Tripartite arcade to organ loft over tower arch. Trifarium continues around chancel which is rib-vaulted and has detached shafts to tripartite east window, 3-bay sedillia and tall chancel arch. Furnishings include wrought-iron screen, font cover and alter ornaments by George Bainbridge Reynolds. Rood from Oberammergau. Painted reredos. Panelled polygonal pulpit with canopy. Purbeck marble font with clusters of detached shafts. Choir stalls with poppy- head ends and traceried fronts. Carving of St Michael over tower arch probably by Hems.

Note: The church was the gift of Louisa Vavasour Livingstone in memory of her husband Arthur Guinness Livingstone.

Sources: Architectural Review Vol. XIX (1906) page 187 Buildings of England, Worcestershire, p.166 The Builder 1904 10/12/1904.

Listing NGR: SO7743047773