Tetbury Churches

One of your first impressions of Tetbury will always be the magnificent spire of St Mary the Virgin and St Mary Magdalen. It is often commented by visitors that the size of the church and it’s breath taking spire seems almost too large and grand for such a small town which is indeed a compliment and you will have to visit it yourself and see why we are rather proud of it.

A Bit of History

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the church spire, which is a landmark for the surrounding countryside stands on maybe the oldest site of Christian worship in Gloucestershire, dating back to AD 681. Believed to have been the location of Abbess Tetta’s Monastery and some scholars suggest this is the origin of the name Tetbury.

The current church is relatively new in church terms, built as recently as 1781 making it the only Georgian church in the county. The church is very much part of the community and is of course used for worship and has a thriving welcoming congregation and of course a parish Eucharist every Sunday morning.

Just along the road from St Mary’s is the charming St Michaels Catholic Church which is again very much part of the community. Another church that has a thriving congregation with a warm friendly is Christ Church.

There is one other church very much in the hearts of many older “Tetburians” and that is the beautifully exquisite church of St Saviour. Consecrated by the Bishop of Gloucester James Henry Monk in 1848 St Saviour became redundant in 1973. The church although maintained by the churches conservation trust is open to the public every day and very occasionally used for services. It is also home to the war memorial for Tetbury.