IT was clearly a time of growth for the Church of England a century ago.

In October 1903, the Malvern News reported on the opening of the Church of the Ascension in Malvern Link.

And a century ago this week, it was the turn of All Saints' Church at the Wyche.

A decision to build a new church was made after it became clear that the Wyche School Chapel - the place of worship for local people since 1877 - was not adequate to the demands being placed upon it.

"As the population grew - it is now three times what it was twenty-five years ago - it was evident that something had to be done," said the News.

"Very soon after Canon Pelly became Vicar of Malvern he entered in earnest upon the task of providing the Wyche with a regular church.

"Difficulties were encountered from the start. The question of site was not easily overcome.

"Eventually, Sir Henry Lambert, Bart., exercising the right he had as Lord of the Manor of Malvern, granted a site on the common, subject to the consent of the Board of Agriculture, which in due course was given."

The cost of building the church was £3,700, met entirely by public subscription.

It was stated that "the service in our new church will be conducted in the old, simple English form, and whilst everything will be done with the utmost reverence, beauty and order, the modern revival of Romish and pre-Reformation practices will have no place".

The News gave a detailed description of the church building, noting, for instance, that the nave is 73 feet long and 28 feet wide, and that a small apse is separated from the nave by a chancel arch with an 18ft span.

"The building will be lighted by electric light, when the town generating station is completed, and is heated by a hot air apparatus," it reported.

"The architects are Messrs Nevinson, Newton and Griffith, of the Priory Gateway, Malvern; the builder was Mr W Porter, of Malvern Wells; the stone work was carried out by Mr T Jones and the general foreman was Mr Sheen."