Directory

Church name:

St Nicholas

Parish Priest:

Rev Peter Slocombe

Address:

St Nicholas Presbytery, Chandos Street, Winchcombe, Cheltenham GL54 5HX

County:

Gloucestershire

Parish date:

(1915)

Deanery:

Cheltenham

History of Parish:

The Winchcombe mission was initiated in 1915: the last to be established in the diocese before the end of the missionary status of the country. Early in the First World War Fr. Wilfred Palmer was given authority to build a chapel there for the thirty Catholics in Winchcombe, and also for the Belgian refugees there. The disused buildings of the Chandos grammar school were adapted, and the church of St. Nicholas opened in that year. The first Mass to be celebrated there was a requiem for Mrs. Forster who died tragically at her home. Fr. Bede Griffiths made his first Communion as a Catholic there. In 1955 the church was extended to incorporate a Lady Chapel and sacristy, and a new presbytery built. This followed the demolition of the former presbytery, a medieval half-timber house. The architect was Peter Falconer who has done much work for the Catholic church in post-war years. The church now has a stone slated roof and bellcote.

Extract from 'The Diocese of Clifton 1850 – 2000' by Rev Dr J A Harding the Diocesan Archivist, available from the 'Publications' page of this site.

Sunday Mass:

10.30 am

Holy Days:

7.00 pm

Weekdays:

See Church Notices

Confessions:

See Church Notices

Schools:

Catholic School of St Gregory the Great, Knapp Road, Cheltenham GL50 3QH. Tel: 01242 513659

Christ College, Arle Road, Cheltenham GL51 8LE. Tel: 01242 702220

General:

Winchcombe Hospital

Cleeve Hill Nursing Home

Oaklands Rest Home

Serving:

Bishops Cleeve

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