Places of worship in Malvern, Worcestershire

Among the places of worship in the town and area of Malvern, Worcestershire are centres of dedication to many faiths and denominations. The town has 31 Christian churches with 11 belonging to the Church of England, ranging from low church to high Anglo-Catholic, two Roman Catholic, one Evangelical, and the others being Non-Conformist and other faiths. Its oldest place of worship is the almost cathedral sized parish church of Great Malvern Priory which is all that remains of the former 10th century abbey in central Malvern, which according to the Worcester Monastic Annals, work began in 1085. The chain of Malvern Hills lies in a north-south direction, thus posing a challenge for the architects of Christian churches located on the steep slopes, chancels being traditionally  sited at the east end of the building. Many churches were built in the 19th century concomitant with the rapid expansion of the town due to its popularity as a spa. A few modern buildings such as St Mary's Church (1960) in Sherrard's Green, have been constructed in the  second half of the 20th century, and some churches, notably St Andrews in  Poolbrook, have had important modern extensions added during the first decade of the 21st century.

As of 2022 there are no facilities for other faiths in Malvern. A synagogue in Worcester was created by Ashkenazi Orthodox evacuees from Birmingham during World War II. However, by 1973 the community had become so small it was not possible obtain a minyan and the remaining members voted the community out of existence. The nearest synagogues are the four in Birmingham. The small Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community serves Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire holding services in various locations throughout the counties. There are two established mosques in Worcester serving the Muslim community. The nearest Sikh gurdwaras are located in Birmingham, Smethwick, and Leamington. Hindu temples for the region and the nearest venues for other faiths are mainly in the Birmingham - Black Country - Coventry area.

All institutions are listed in alphabetical order by faith, denomination and facility. Some link to their more complete Wikipedia pages.

All Saints Church
Style of worship: Open evangelical

All Saints remains as one of two C of E churches in  Malvern Wells following  the closure of St Peter's Gothic style church designed by  Robert Jearrad (1836). Built in 1930 in 13th-century style in  Malvern rag-stone  by  architect Troyte Griffith of Nevinson  & Newton, to whom Sir Edward Elgar dedicated an Enigma Variation, it  is located on steep sloping common land donated by  Lady Emily Foley, it has a semicircular apsidal chancel which demonstrates the architectural challenges of east-facing chancels on the flanks of the Malvern Hills, and an organ by Nicholsons.

Location: Wells Road, The Wyche, Malvern Wells

Built: 1903

Architecture: 13th-century style.

Architect: Troyte Griffith Organ: Nicholson & Co Ltd.

Bells: One, in a small  turret.

Notable people in cemetery:

Parish:Malvern Wells and Wyche

Incumbent: Dave Bruce (Chase Team Rector)

Website: All Saints, Malvern Wells

Further reading: Roden, Hugh C. B. (1923) A guide to All Saints' Church, the Wyche, Malvern. W. H. Lovel, Malvern. OL17391375M

Great Malvern Priory, Church of St Mary & St Michael
Style of worship: Anglican. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

Location: Church Street, Great Malvern

Built: from 1085

Architecture: Norman, and 1440 Perpendicular. Grade 1, one of the largest non-cathedral parish churches in England. 15th century stained glass windows.

Organ: 1875 Nicholson & Co Ltd. Refurbished Rushworth and Dreaper in 1927 and 1977, and again by Nicholons in 2003. A Certified Historic Organ.

Bells: 10, being a ring of eight with a flat 4th, earliest dating from c1380.

Notable people in cemetery: Anne Darwin, daughter of Charles Darwin.

Parish: Great Malvern, Deanery of Malvern and Upton.

Incumbent: The Revd Rod Corke, Vicar

Website: Great Malvern Priory

Christ Church
Style of worship: Standard Church Of England liturgy, 'relaxed and informal'.

Location: Avenue Road, Great Malvern, within  200 metres of Great Malvern station and Malvern St James independent girls school.

Parish: Christ Church.

Built: 1875, the church is a Grade II listed building, and an English Heritage grant  (2015) aided place of worship, Architecture: Designed and built by T D Barry & Sons of Liverpool to seat 700 people, its architecture is based on pure 14th century Gothic style with a 55-metre spire and an east  window by Charles Eomer Kemp.

Organ: 1,486 pipe organ constructed by Nicholsons of Malvern in 1884, restored and repaired in 1971 and 1986. Bells: Two bells in  the tower, a 6 cwt  in C, and a 7 cwt in D were cast by John Taylor & Co, Loughborough in 1875.

Notable people in graveyard: The church does not  have its own graveyard; burials take place in the nearby Great  Malvern cemetery in Madresfield Road.

Incumbent: vacant (2022).

Website: Christ Church, Malvern

Church of the Ascension
Style of worship: 'Forward-looking Church of England using a modern Catholic liturgy based on an inclusive, liberal theology'.

Location: Somers Park Avenue, Link Top.

Parish: Malvern Link with Cowleigh. One of the three churches in the parish that also includes St Matthias' Church in Malvern Link and St Peter's Church in Cowleigh.

Built: 1903. Grade II listed building (1991)

Architecture: Early English Gothic by Gothic revival  architect Sir Walter Tapper, his first  church. Early English style in Cotswold stone with lancet windows, featuring a stone relief of the Ascension by Harry Hems. Modeled on a 13th century Cistercian monastery, the building is noted for its acoustics and is a regular venue for choirs and Gregorian chants.

Bells: none. The former two bells were sold in the 1960s to raise funds

Notable people in cemetery: no consecrated cemetery

Current incumbent: As of 22 April 2018, The Rev. Phillip Johnson, vicar

Affiliations: Progressive Christianity Network Britain.

Church web site: The Ascension Centre for Contemplation and Reconciliation

Parish website: Malvern Link with Cowleigh

Holy Trinity
Location: Link Top, North Malvern

Parish: North Malvern

Built: 1850-51 as a Chapel of Ease to Malvern Priory, It became its own parish in 1869. Expanded 1872, 1896-7, 1908-9 (Grade II Listed[)

Architecture: Early Decorated/Early English by Samuel Daukes, London, with influences of the Oxford Movement

Bells: 2

Organ by Nicholson & Co Ltd of Worcester, 1878. Later organs (electronic), 1975, 1988, by Makin Organs

Notable people in cemetery:

Current incumbent:, Rev Rebecca Elliott, vicar

Website: holytrinitymalvern.

St Andrew's Church
Style of worship: Open evangelical

Location: Poolbrook

Parish: Malvern Wells and Wyche

Built:1882 by Sir Arthur Blomfield in memory of a member of the Chance Brothers glassware family.

Architecture: by G. Lewis Sheppard in13th century style (Early English).

Bells: 1

Notable people in cemetery:

Current incumbent: Dave Bruce (Chase Team Rector)

Website: St Andrew's and All Saints

St Giles Church (Little Malvern Priory)
Style of worship:

Location: Little Malvern

Grade I listed (1968)

Parish Little Malvern,

Built: 1125

Architecture: was part of a Benedictine Priory founded in 1171. 14th - 15th century 15 and has some Norman remains.

Bells: 1 by John of Gloucester ca. 1354

Organ: 1882 by William Hill & Sons, London. Refurbished 2018-19 by Nicholson & Co Ltd

Windows: Stained glass, 1480

Notable people in cemetery:

Current incumbent: Revd. Stephen Sealy (Non-Stipendiary Incumbent)

Website: Little Malvern Priory

St James's
Style of worship:

Location: West Malvern

Parish: West Malvern St. James (Benefice of Malvern Holy Trinity and St James West Malvern), Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester. Originally 'Mathon St. James',   renamed 1844

Grade II listed (1949)

Built:1885

Architecture: 13th century style (Early English). Malvern ragstone with ashlar dressings

Bells:1

Notable people in cemetery: Peter Mark Roget (1869) of Roget's Thesaurus

Current incumbent: The Revd Rebecca Elliott, vicar (as of January 2021)

Website: A Church Near You, St James and Facebook

St Leonard
Style of worship: High Church (Anglo-Catholic). Built as an Anglo-Catholic church and maintains its tradition of Oxford Movement ceremony, liturgy and worship Location: Newland

Parish: Former parish church of Newland, in 1998 it became the private chapel of the Beauchamp Community. Open to everyone.

Built:1862. Grade I listed

Architecture: 14th century style by Philip Hardwick (p. 17), Gambier Parry fresco technique by Clayton and Bell

Bells:

Notable people in cemetery:

Current incumbent: Fr. Iain William Forbes, Chaplain

Website: beauchampstleonard

St Mary's Church, Pickersleigh
Location: Sherrards Green Road, Malvern

Parish: Pickersleigh (a new parish created in September 2014).

Built: 1958, originally as a chapel of ease for Christchurch to serve the many council estates in the area.

Architecture: Mid 20th century

Bells: None

Notable people in cemetery: No cemetery.

Current incumbent (2020): The Rev. Lynne Sparkes, vicar

Website: St Mary's Church, Pickersliegh

St Mary the Virgin
Location: Guarlford Road, Guarlford

Style of worship: BCP with hymns and Common Worship

Parish: First built as St Mary's Barnards Green, a chapel of ease of Great Malvern Priory. Parish Church in 1866. Benefice of Powick and Guarlford and Madresfield with Newland, 1999.

Built:1844 by George McCann, Malvern. Grade II listed

Architecture: designed by Thomas Bellamy of London.

Bells: none

Notable people in cemetery:

Current vicar/priest/minister: The Rev. Gary Crellin, Rector (as of 2020)

Websites: Guarlford parish, and Parishes of Powick, Guarlford, Madresfield, Newland

St Matthias' Church
Style of worship: 'Forward-looking Church of England using a modern Catholic liturgy based on an inclusive, liberal theology'.

Location: Church Road, Malvern Link

Parish: Malvern Link with Cowleigh

Built:1844 by Mc.Cann, Malvern. Tower added 1898-9 by Collins & Godfrey of Tewkesbury. Grade II Listed

Architecture: Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and Harvey Eginton of Worcester

Bells: 10, cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. #10 in 1899, 3 to 9 in 1900 and  #1 and 2  added in 1994. The Tenor weighs 16 cwt and is tuned to F#. The first full  peal of Grandsire Triples was rung  on 1 June 1901 in St Matthias See also: Stedman Triples rung at  St  Matthias

Notable people in cemetery:

Incumbent: As of 22 April 2018, The Rev. Phillip Johnson, vicar

Affiliations: Progressive Christianity Network Britain. Website: St Mathias' Church

Parish website: Malvern Link with Cowleigh

St Peter's Church, Cowleigh
Style of worship: 'Forward-looking Church of England using a modern Catholic liturgy based on an inclusive, liberal theology'.

Location: Cowleigh Bank, North Malvern

Parish: 	Malvern Link with Cowleigh

Built:. 1865 II listed

Architecture: George Edmund Street, designed in the High Church Anglican tradition.

Bells:

Notable people in cemetery:

Incumbent: As of 22 April 2018, The Rev. Phillip Johnson, vicar

Affiliations: Progressive Christianity Network Britain.

Parish website: Malvern Link with Cowleigh

Baptist
Malvern Baptist Church Style of worship: Baptist

Location: Abbey Road, Great Malvern

Affiliation: Heart of England Baptist Association / Baptist Union of Great Britain.

Built:1894.

Architecture: Traditional church building in Victorian non-conformist geometric gothic style by George Ingall of Birmingham.

Bells: None

Notable people in cemetery: No consecrated churchyard

Current incumbent: Rev Dave Clarke, minister (as of 2020)

Website: Malvern Baptist Church

United Reformed Church
Malvern Link, Worcester Road

Founded 1903 as Malvern Link Free Church (Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion)

Parish/Affiliation: The West Midlands Synod

Minister: Reverend Ken Martin (as of 2020)

Web site: URC in Malvern Link

Holly Mount

Founded 1876

Relocated 2019 to hold Sunday worship at The Cube, Albert Road North, a community centre, with other activities held at the URC Church in Malvern Link and the Lyttelton Well Rooms in Malvern.

Organisation/Affiliation: Malvern and Worcester team pastorate

Minister:

Web site: Holly Mount Church

In July 2021, plans were announced to convert the former Holly Mount church building on Queen's Drive for residential use.

Malvern Evangelical Church,
Location: 204-208 Pickersleigh Road, Malvern WR14 2QX

Founded: 1969

Current Building Built:2015

Affiliations: Evangelical Alliance.

Current Pastor: Roy Bourner

Website: Malvern Evangelical Church

Non aligned
Eden Church

Repurposed: 2010 Leader: Mike Dibbens

Location: Eden Centre (since 2015), Grovewood Road, Malvern

Website: Eden Church

St Joseph's Church
Style of worship: Roman Catholic

Location: 1245 Newtown Road, Link Top, Malvern, WR14 1PF

Parish: St Joseph, Malvern. Archdiocese of Birmingham

Built: 1876. Expanded: 1997

Architecture:

Incumbent: Fr Naz Mgungwe, parish priest (as at 2020)

Website: St Joseph's, Malvern

St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church
Style of worship: Mass, Adoration. Benedictine with Gregorian Chant. Sacrosanctum Concilium ( Vatican 2 Decree on the Liturgy)

Location: Wells Rd, Little Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 4JL,

Parish: St Wulstan, Catholic Diocese of Birmingham  (Worcester Deanery),

Built: 1862. Major restoration 2003/4 aided by  a grant  from English Heritage.

Architecture: 13th century French Gothic style.

Bells:

Organ: 1841 by John Nicholson. Refurbished/restored 1974, 1981, 2017

Notable people in cemetery: Sir Edward Elgar, English composer; Dorothy Howell, English composer

Incumbent: Fr Edward Crouzet, parish priest (as at 2020)

Website: St Wulstan's Church in Little Malvern

Christadelphian
Style of worship: Christadelphianism / Biblical unitarianism

Christadelphian Hall

Location: 21 Abbey Road, Great Malvern

Incumbent: Christadelphians ("ecclesias") do not have permanently appointed preachers

Website: Malvern Christadelphians

Interdenominational
Wyche Free Church

Style of worship: independent evangelical church

Location: Jubilee Drive, Upper Colwall, Malvern

Founded: ca. 1850

Parish: self-governing

Affiliation: FIEC - Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

Built: present church built in 1910

Architecture:

Bells:

Notable people in cemetery: No consecrated churchyard

Elders (2020): Peter Goodbury, Rev John Grindell. Pastor: None (2020), weekly ministry of experienced visiting preachers.

Website: Wyche Free Church

Landsdowne Crescent Methodist Church
Style of worship: Methodist

Location: Great Malvern, Landsdown Crescent

Parish: South West Worcestershire Circuit

Built: 1866 Architecture: Gothic Revival, by John Tarring of London.

Bells:

Notable people in cemetery:

Current vicar/priest/minister: Rev Nigel Coke-Woods, minister (as at 2020)

Website:

Somers Park Avenue Methodist Church
Style of worship: Methodism

Location: Malvern Link

Founded on current site: 1880s

Parish: South West Worcestershire Circuit

Built: Current building: 1936. Expanded 1960-61

Architecture:

Bells:

Notable people in cemetery:

Current incumbent: Rev. Nigel Coke-Woods, minister (as at 2020)

Website: Somers Park Methodist

Life Church
Closed in 2021 Location: Meets at Malvern Vale Community Centre, Swinyard Road

Affiliation: Part of the New Frontiers Family of churches and Christ Central

Built: N/A

Architecture: N/A

Bells:N/A

Notable people in cemetery:N/A

Incumbent/Lead person: Immy Sharp, Children's and Community Worker

Website: New Frontiers

Christian Science
The Great Malvern Christian Science Society Location: Poolbrook Village Hall, Poolbrook Road, Malvern, WR14 3JW

Jehovah's Witnesses
Location: Kingdom Hall, 1 Orford Way, Malvern, WR14 2EH

Quakers
Friends Meeting House

Style of worship: resembles the services of other Protestant denominations, although in most cases does not include the Eucharist

Location: 1 Orchard Road, Malvern, WR14 3DA

Parish/Group: Worcestershire & Shropshire Area Meeting, Religious Society of Friends

Built: 1938.

Architecture: Designed by JR Armstrong, one of the Bournville Village architects.

Bells: N/A

Notable people in cemetery: N/A

Clerking Team: Elizabeth & Kevin Rolph and Melanie Jameson

Current vicar/priest/minister: Paul Wyatt, Judith Badman, Jill Etheridge, Richard Bartholomew (Elders)

Website: Malvern Quakers

The Salvation Army
Style of worship: Christian, various

Location: 62 Newtown Road, Link Top, Malvern

Parish: N/A

Built: N/A

Architecture: N/A

Bells: N/A

Notable people in cemetery: N/A

Current vicar/priest/minister: Claire Mynott, Lieutenant (2022)

Website: Salvation Army Malvern

Buddhist Temple
Bright Earth Temple

Location: 34 Worcester Road, Great Malvern

Built: 1820s as a guest house, acquired by Amida Trust, 2014

Style of worship: Mahayana Buddhism with emphasis on Pureland Buddhism.

Orientation: Amidism - Bright Earth Buddhism, a broad branch of Mahayana.

Governance: Amida Trust

Affiliation: European Buddhist Union

Run/managed by: Amitabha Fellowship leaders Kaspa and Satya

Website: Bright Earth Accessed 14 May 2022