The oldest building in Cheltenham, with parts dating to the twelfth century. St Mary's served as the parish church of the original village long before the Regency developers arrived and built the elegant spa town around it. The contrast between the medieval church and the surrounding Georgian terraces is one of the more interesting things to notice in the town centre.
The interior has good stained glass, including a fine fourteenth-century window depicting St Catherine. The church became a minster in 2013 in recognition of its role in the life of the town. It sits just off the High Street, easily combined with a walk through the Promenade — most visitors walk straight past it without going in, which is their loss.