St. Luke’s was built in a wave of growth in the mid-1850’s. Services were held for a while in school premises on Bath Road but in response to the need a new church building was erected.
The building was consecrated on 7th November 1854. It was designed by F W Ordish and from the beginning followed the style which the Victorians called “Geometric Decorated Gothic”. Today the tower is fairly substantial but the oddly-shaped “broaches” on its corners betray the original intention to build a tower some 40 feet higher still!
The local edition of “The Buildings of England” noted the “ugly fat broaches” but states that St. Luke’s has many details that are “delightfully peculiar” including the window traceries. Look out, too, for the painted carvings of angels and bishops in the corners of the church.
The church was built partly as a chapel for Cheltenham College, whose boys had previously attended Christ Church. It was designed to seat 1,100 people and, at various times, it has had 3 separate galleries in use.
It has a costal town feel with a mixture and brightly coloured townhouses, Edwardian double fronted residencies and four storey properties to suit all requirements and budgets.
