Church Of St Oswald

The Church of St Oswald is a parish church built in 1939 by architect W E Ellery Anderson. It is constructed of stock brick and features red pantiled roofs. The church has a long layout with six bays, including a nave and aisles, a chancel with a vestry and Lady Chapel, and a very tall tower prominently positioned above the entrance. The nave aisles, clerestory, and chancel have round-arched windows, and there is a round window at the west end above a blind round-arched opening. The high tower, designed in an Italianate style, has round-arched openings at the top and is topped with a pyramidal pantiled roof.

Inside, the church has rendered walls and features four-bay arcades with cushion capitals that frame narrow aisles. The western bay includes a narrow processional opening, while a larger entrance arch is located under the tower, complemented by a similar opening on the north wall leading to the Lady Chapel. The roof is an exposed King post timber design. Originally, the nave was furnished with choir stalls, some of which have been removed, and it has always been seated with chairs, some of which have been replaced. A round font decorated with a wave motif is present, and the glass is plain but includes decorative leading in the toplights.

The altar is set forward behind altar rails on a single step, with two additional steps leading to the site of the original high altar, which is marked by a simple reredos, panelling, and curtains. There are round-arched sedilia and a stoop in the south wall, and double columns with cushion capitals support the three-bay arcade between the chancel and Lady Chapel.

This church is a simple yet powerful example of Italianate style, notable for its lack of mouldings, which enhances the spacious interior. It represents a late work by a prominent church designer based in Cheltenham and showcases a strong sense of confidence and completeness.