Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum

The Cheltenham Art Galley & Museum contains a wide range of materials, including: history, archaeology, paintings, and arts & crafts.  There is also a section on Edward Wilson, Cheltenham’s Antarctic explorer who died alongside Scott.  Many of the paintings featured in the gallery are donated by the people of Cheltenham.

The art gallery was opened in 1899 when the third Baron de Ferrieres, a former Mayor & MP for Cheltenham, gave 43 paintings to the town.  In 1905 the museum proper was opened when the Schools of Art and Science vacated the rooms next to the gallery.

In 1989 the HRH Princess Royal opened an extension to the Art Gallery & Museum, which is where the present entrance is located.

For more information visit the Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum website.

The Gustav Holst Birthplace Museum

The Gustav Holst Birthplace museum is located in the Regency terraced house where Holst was born in 1874.  The museum tells the story of the man who composed ‘The Planets’, and has a display of his belongings.

Visitors can also experience Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian style rooms.

For more information visit the Holst museum website.

Cheltenham Festivals is a registered charity set up in 2006.  The charity brings together the Jazz, Science, Music, and Literature festivals under one banner.

The Music festival has been ongoing from 1945, and the Literature Festival from 1949.  The two events have already associated Cheltenham with the British cultural scene.   With the addition of the Jazz Festival (added 1996) and the Science Festival (added 2002) Cheltenham has garnered a reputation for encouraging up-and-coming, and serious, cultural work.

The festivals are held throughout the calendar year as follows:-

April-May: Cheltenham Jazz Festival

June: The Times Cheltenham Science Festival

July: Cheltenham Music Festival

October: The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

For more information visit the Cheltenham Festivals website.

With at least eight churches in and around Cheltenham there are several attractive buildings worth visiting. Some of the highlights are as follows:

St Mary’s Church, Clarence Street

This is the oldest building in Cheltenham, and is located just off the Promenade.  It dates back to the middle of the 11^th Century. The church features a spa theme, and has a royal coat of arms that commemorates George III’s visit in 1788.  There is also a memorial to Henry Skillicorne the founder of the first spa in Cheltenham.

St Andrew’s Church, Montpellier

The spire is perhaps the main feature of this Early English church that is located on one of the main thoroughfares, Montpellier Street, opposite the Cheltenham Ladies College.   The church was built in 1885 for a Presbyterian congregation, and underwent a substantial refurbishment in 2002.  It is now the local United Reformed Church, and is used by many local community organisations.  The nearby town hall serves as a centre for Cheltenham’s famous international arts and science festivals.  St Andrew’s is used for some of the fringe events.

Christ Church, Lansdown

The main feature of this church is the 174 feet high tower with its four pinnacles.  The church was built in 1837 for the new Lansdown estate.  The foundation stone was laid by Francis Close a key figure in the development of the Cheltenham Ladies College.   The building was originally designed by the Jearrad brothers who were local architects.  However, the church was altered by John Middleton who added the domed apse in 1888.  The parish of Christ Church was formed in 1865.

Rose Window St Marys Cheltenham