to begin to develop. In 1993, the hot water heating system was upgraded with the addition of convector fan radiators, and an upgraded boiler greatly increasing the wattage output. The removal of the remaining nine rows of pews followed in July 1993. 250 comfortable chairs now grace the Church. The visual effect has been to make the church look brighter and larger. Since the building of the church in 1851, the south porch had been an external entrance and represented a covered approach to the church. In June 1992 external doors were fitted to the Porch creating a further small meeting room. The tiled floor to the Porch had been pitted by the weather, and this was restored. Vicars of Lydbrook 1851 - William Deering 1852 - Temple H. Chase 1866 - Henry T. Hoitt 1908 - Fredereck W. Bidwell 1912 - Geoffrey A. Hopkins 1926 - Henry Thompson 1933 - Reginald W. E. Robinson 1942 - Bert Prime 1951 - Reginald F. Hibbs 1961 - (Priest-in-Charge) Eric J. Hoskin 1963 - Ernest Rutter 1964 - John C. Wilson 1967 - David J. Lovell 1973 - Wilfred D. Varney 1977 - Dennis Bowler 1982 - W. A. Stuart Parker 1989 - Michael J. Foster The Reverend Michael Foster (Fr Michael) was the last Vicar of Lydbrook, which was served by Priests in Charge to 2006, when the parish was merged with Ruardean and Drybrook under the new incumbency of Nicholas Robert Bromfield. External links Holy Jesus Church Website References Churches completed in 1851 19th-century Church of England church buildings Lydbrook Lydbrook Holy Forest of Dean Lydbrook Holy 1851 establishments in England