St. Matthew, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Description

St. Matthew's church, in Clarence street, a chapel of ease to the parish church of St. Mary, erected in 1878-9, from designs by Mr. Ewan Christian, architect, at a cost of about £25,000, and consecrated by the bishop of the diocese April 17th, 1879, is an edifice of local stone, with Bath stone dressings, in the Gothic style of the 13th century, consisting of apsidal chancel with aisles, clerestoried nave, aisles, transepts, north porch and a tower with spire at the north-west angle: the reredos is panelled and adorned with marble and mosaic work, with the Tables of Commandments in lead letters: the pulpit is of stone, with alabaster and marble mosaic inlays, bordered with boldly carved foliage: the font, of Caen stone, was the gift of J. Middleton esq.: there are sittings for upwards of 1,400 persons.