St. Philip and St. James’ Church, Cheltenham

Located in the leafy suburb of Leckhampton, Cheltenham, is St Philip & St James’ Church, affectionately known as ‘Pip & Jim’s.’ A Grade II* listed church and a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, built in the 1880s to designs by John Middleton. It is of historical importance, not least because its’ crypt contains the country’s first columbarium dating from 1963. In recent years, the growing congregation needed a more adaptable and welcoming building. This led to one of the largest church reordering projects in the diocese since Gloucester Cathedral, with the aim of creating a flexible community hub through a sensitive heritage-led design.
Status: Completed 2021
Location: Leckhampton, Cheltenham
Value: £3m
Photo Credit: RRA Architects and Infinity Unlimited
Award: Cheltenham Civic Society Renovation & Restoration Award 2024, Silver Eco Church Award
Categories: Conservation / Heritage, Ecclesiastical
Tags: Adaptive Reuse, Architects, Architecture, Award-Winning Architecture, Cheltenham Architects, Cheltenham Projects, Church Reordering, Community, Community Architecture, Conservation, Conservation Architecture, Conversion, Cotswolds Architects, CSR, Ecclesiastical, Ecclesiastical Architecture, Extensions, Flexible Worship Space, Gloucester Architects, Gloucestershire Architecture, Green Design, Heritage, Historic Church Renovation, Listed Building Architecture, Modern Facilities in Historic Buildings, Refurbishment, Restoration, RIBA Stages 0–4, Sustainability

Interior of Gothic Revival church in Cheltenham with a curved wooden staircase leading to a glass meeting pod

Gothic Revival church interior with arched stone columns and staircase leading to a glazed meeting pod over a blue stained glass window.

Wide interior view of Grade II* listed Cheltenham church with Gothic arches and modern glass pods

Front façade of St Philip & St James’ Church Cheltenham with reconfigured entrance path, parking and refurbished front doors.

Interior of a Gothic Revival church in Cheltenham with pointed stone arches, traditional font and a contemporary spiral staircase.

Carved stone statues of saints inside Grade II* listed Gothic Revival church in Cheltenham

Architectural visualisation of reordered Cheltenham church with glazed pods, open nave and flexible layout changes to show a photograph of the completed project.

RRA’s Role as Church Reordering Architects

RRA Architects was appointed to design the scheme through RIBA Stages 0–4. As experienced church reordering architects, we worked closely with the parish council, Historic England and the Victorian Society to gain the necessary approvals, including the removal of pews. The design opened up the church for modern community use while safeguarding its historic character. Every intervention was conceived as freestanding and reversible to ensure the listed fabric remained untouched.

Key features of our heritage-led design for the Listed church include:

Enhanced Entrance and Grand Arrival: The car park and approach were reconfigured to reinstate use of the grand front doors. Large glazed entrance doors now lead visitors into the church, offering a clear view of the architecture as John Middleton intended, and creating a more welcoming sense of arrival.
Flexible Worship Space with Modern Seating: The removal of fixed pews made way for lightweight stackable chairs, enabling the nave to become a truly flexible worship space for services, concerts and community events.
Heated Stone Floor for Comfort and Accessibility: A new raised limestone floor with underfloor heating created a comfortable, level surface for worship and public gatherings.
Glazed Pods: Meeting Room, Office and Modern Facilities: Two freestanding glass pods were introduced. The Dove Pod provides a meeting room with a kitchen and servery beneath, while the second pod offers office space with toilets and storage below. These carefully designed insertions deliver modern facilities in a historic church without altering the original structure.
New Amenities for Clergy, Choir and Visitors: Upgraded clergy and choir vestries, new toilets (including an accessible WC) and improved ramp access.
Reversible Design Protecting the Historic Fabric: All new elements were designed to be reversible, safeguarding the church’s historic fabric for the future.

Completion, Awards and Community Impact

The St Philip & St James’ Church Reordering was completed in 2021 and has been a resounding success. Today, Pip & Jim’s is in near-constant use by both the congregation and wider community, demonstrating the value of sensitive church renovation and design. The scheme has been recognised with the Cheltenham Civic Society Renovation & Restoration Award 2024 and a Silver Eco Church Award.

This project shows how thoughtful church reordering can respect heritage while transforming a listed building into a vibrant, flexible and sustainable community space.