Welcome to our beautiful little church in the Severn Vale - a mini-cathedral, re-built entirely in 1847 in the Victorian Gothic revival style. Having had few alterations since then it is a lovely time-capsule of a Victorian church, highly decorated both inside and out.
The church is always open on Wednesdays and Sundays between 10 am and 4 pm. Most other days it will be open at some time during daylight hours, please contact the Churchwarden to confirm.
We are a member of the charity Eco Church's network of churches aiming to be a local centre of care for creation in the community, and are pleased to have just achieved the Silver Level accreditation in October 2024. We look forward to tackling the requirements to reach the Gold level over the next few years.
Our churchyard is maintained for the benefit of wildlife. The primroses blooming in springtime bring a welcome cheerfulness after the winter's gloom. These are followed by the wildflowers blooming throughout the summer in our areas of long grass.
We are very grateful to have received a grant from Historic England's Covid-19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response Fund in 2021 which allowed us to have a condition report prepared on our tower and spire. We are proud to continue to be #HereForCulture. Fund-raising continues with the aim of raising over £170,000 to have the repair work completed.
We hope that you enjoy your visit. Guided tours can be arranged, please contact the Churchwarden.
The parish of Fretherne: St Mary the Virgin is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Gloucester’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
