Holy Trinity Wentworth (Old) Church

Holy Trinity Church, Wentworth (Old)

This partly derelict church is in the care of the Redundant Churches Fund, with the chancel and chapel still in occasional ecclesiastical use. The tower dates from the 14th to 15th century, while the rest of the building was rebuilt in 1684 for William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford, although the chancel and chapel appear to date from the mid-17th century. The nave was dismantled in the late 19th century. The chancel and chapel were restored in 1925 for the 7th Earl Fitzwilliam and underwent internal renovation in 1985.

The church is constructed of ashlar sandstone for the tower, with rubble sandstone used elsewhere, and stone slates cover the chancel and chapel. The plan consists of a west tower, the south wall of a former five-bay nave (of which only remains), a chancel, and a separately-roofed north chapel.

The tower features a chamfered plinth. A small west window, offset to the left, contains three cusped lights beneath a four-centred arch with hoodmould. Above and to the right sits a quatrefoil within a chamfered square opening. A string course runs beneath two blocked two-light belfry openings with depressed four-centred arches and hoodmoulds. Another string course with corner gargoyles sits above.

The nave's surviving south wall features a central projecting porchway with a recessed round-arched doorway; the moulded impost band and archivolt contain a cherub-carved keystone. Flanking Ionic pilasters support a pediment that formerly displayed a cartouche in its tympanum but now houses a displaced finial. Nave windows each have round-arched openings within rectangular architraves; the panels above formerly held carvings, with a fragment remaining in the easternmost panel. An eaves cornice runs along the top, though partly missing.

The chancel features a central south door in a moulded surround with cornice. Above it sits a cartouche within an architraved panel. To the left of the door is a headstone commemorating Hannah Jennet (died 1769), housekeeper to the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham. Flanking windows contain two round-headed lights within architraves, with panels above showing carved bird and beast. An eaves cornice and gable copings complete the exterior. East windows to both chancel and chapel contain three lights with cavetto-moulded mullions beneath panels bearing cartouches. The north wall holds two- and three-light windows, while the west wall carries two three-light windows with curved-headed lights, the outermost lights being blocked.

Interior

The tower arch, originally a double-quadrant moulded opening, is now infilled. The chancel comprises a two-bay arcade with octagonal piers, moulded capitals and double-chamfered arches. A pointed west arch with light double-chamfer leads to the chapel. The chancel arch is depressed with double-chamfers.

The north wall of the chancel displays a wall monument to Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (died 1641), featuring a kneeling figure within a garlanded frame, flanked by columns supporting a broken segmental pediment with cartouche and putti. The north wall of the chapel holds a monument to William, 2nd Earl of Strafford (died 1695) and his wife Henrietta (died 1685), showing two kneelers facing each other within a draped classical niche; beneath is a panel dated 1689 extolling Henrietta's virtues and signed 'Strafforde'. At the time of resurvey, many important Wentworth monuments and most fittings were temporarily removed for conservation. These included 15th-century alabaster effigies of a Gascoigne knight and wife in the north chapel, and a chest tomb with alabaster effigies of Thomas Wentworth (died 1588) and his wife Margaret, also in the north chapel. A wall monument to Sir William Wentworth and his wife Anne, parents of the 1st Earl of Strafford, remains on the chancel north wall.

Numerous lesser items survive, including a brass to Michael D'Arcy (died 1588) by the south door and a brass to Thomas Wentworth (died 1548) in the north chapel floor. Removed fittings include 17th-century panelling, family box pews and a balustraded altar rail. A benefactions board listing gifts to the curacy and poor of Wentworth by the Wentworth family and others remains in place. The west end of the chapel is partitioned to form a vestry, which contains steps leading down to the external Fitzwilliam vault.