…. as their Architect and gave him instructions to prepare the necessary plans and specifications. Mr Jackson’s work at Oxford as a most careful restorer and as the Architect of the New Schools being very well known. Mr Jackson was elected RA in 1896.
Estimates were obtained in 1885, the tender of Mr Thomas Collins of Tewkesbury for the sum of £1,575 being accepted. The last Service was held in the old church on Sunday March 15th and the following day the building was handed over to the workmen.
The unsightly and uncomfortable high pews were removed, the oak carved or plain, being carefully preserved for future use in the Church. The ugly gallery erected in 1793 which blocked the fine arch at the west of the nave and obscured the west window of the tower was demolished, together with the lath and plaster ceiling throughout the inside of the Church, opening to view the massive oak timbers and rafters of the roof which, over the nave, was found to be in fairly good order. The dilapidated south wall of the nave, which presented no single feature of interest, was removed – with its modern wooden window frames – to allow of the addition of the new south aisle, its place being now taken by the arcade between the new aisle and the nave, and with it disappeared the modern lath and plaster porch. In the south wall alluded to a small Norman, possibly Saxon, window completely hidden by plaster was found, which was afterwards built into the north wall of the nave towards the …