Church Of St Luke

Church of St Luke

A church built in 1853-54, designed by Frederick W Ordish of London. The church was promoted by the Reverend Close and was partly intended for schoolboys from the nearby Cheltenham College. The construction cost was approximately £5,738. The chancel was enlarged in 1866 by John Middleton. Interior carvings were probably executed by Boultons of Cheltenham.

The church is built in drilled Cotswold stone with ashlar quoins and dressings, with a plain tile roof. It is designed in the Middle Pointed style and has a cruciform plan with a west tower. The layout comprises a 4-bay aisled nave with clerestory and south porch, a crossing with north and south transepts, a 4-bay chancel with south lady chapel, a north vestry, and a west tower with a heavily broached spire.

The exterior features a chamfered plinth and diagonal offset buttresses. The south porch has a pointed doorway with plank doors in triple-chamfer to the head with hollow and roll moulding. The aisles contain 3-light windows in 4-centre arched surrounds with Decorative-type tracery to the heads, described as "highly original, unorthodox, and complicated tracery, each one different". The clerestory windows are quatrefoils within circles. A further entrance at the west end at the base of the tower comprises a pointed doorway with 4 orders of arches to the head with hollow and roll moulding and hoodmould on foliate stops. Above this is a tall 3-light window with Decorated-type tracery to the pointed head, hoodmould with face stops, and a clock to the west side. The upper stage has 2-light pointed belfry openings on a continuous sill band and with an impost band, and lucarnes to the spire. Similar 3-light windows are found to the transepts and chancel, with a 5-light east window and hoodmould. The Lady Chapel has lancet lights to the side and a 3-light window to the east, similar to the vestry at north.

The interior of the nave features double-chamfered pointed arches on alternate octagonal and 4-columnar piers, with wider octagonal piers at the crossing. Double-chamfered pointed arches extend to the tower and side chapels, with similar arches to the transepts on half-octagonal pillars. A double-chamfered chancel arch with ovolo moulding has a hollow-moulded hood on corbels carved with figures and foliage. The tower has a wooden screen and double doors with stained glass cusped lancets, with a gallery above.

The chancel, enlarged and enhanced by Middleton, features an arcade of 3 pointed openings with double-chamfered heads. The chancel windows have black marble columns and moulding to the head, with hollow-moulded hoodmould with headstops. The east end is ornately carved with outer lozenges with foliate infill and septfoil panels decorated with lilies, primroses and lilies of the valley. Above is a frieze with inlaid decoration of coloured stone. Around the altar is an arcade with finials and pinnacles, incorporating mosaic panels with symbols of the four Evangelists on a black marble plinth. The arcade incorporates sedilia to the south and piscina to the north, with angles playing instruments to the arches. The capitals have foliate decoration. Behind the altar is an arcade on a coloured marble plinth with a banner inscribed "Do this often in remembrance of me". Cusped panels have faces in relief of the four Evangelists with Christ at the centre. A scissor roof on corbel faces extends to the nave and transepts, with a panelled roof to the chancel. The south transept has wrought-ironwork screening brought from the now-demolished St John's Church. The altar rail has ornate scrolled balusters. An octagonal font with symbols of the Apostles stands on black marble pillars and has an oak cover. A Coalbrookedale tiled floor runs throughout the church. An octagonal oak pulpit with perpendicular-type decoration is present. The pews are of pine.

The interior carvings show similarities with those of the Church of the Holy Apostles on London Road, Charlton Kings, which is known to be by Boultons. The church's complex roofscape enhances its exterior appearance. Standing in the middle of a small square, the church makes an important contribution to the local townscape. It is notable for the variety and richness of its exterior tracery.