Parish Church Of Holy Trinity

The parish church of Holy Trinity is a building dating primarily from the early 14th century, with a 13th-century chancel arch and a late medieval south porch. The roofs were rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. Restorations occurred in 1876-7 and a north aisle and part of the north chancel wall were rebuilt in 1891-2 by W.M. Fawcett. The church is constructed of limestone and pebble rubble, partially rendered, with limestone dressings and lead roofs.

The south elevation features a two-stage west tower with an embattled parapet, a moulded plinth band running around angle buttresses, and a projecting semi-octagonal stair turret in the south-east angle topped with a pyramidal stone capping. The belfry window has two ogee-trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the head. The south aisle and nave have a moulded cornice. A clerestory has four restored quatrefoil lights. The buttressed south aisle has three bays with a continuous band below the windows and two windows of three lights with net tracery and mask stops to the labels. The south doorway has two continuous wave-moulded orders. The south porch has two chamfered orders rising from moulded jambs with attached shafts and moulded caps, including a niche and sundial dated 1628 above. The chancel has three bays, with a “low side” window sealed from the interior with original iron hooks and bars, a four-light cinquefoil window above, and two three-light windows with net tracery, the walls having been raised to accommodate a new roof.

Inside, the nave arcade consists of four bays with arches of two wave-moulded orders, supported by filleted quatrefoil piers with rolls between moulded caps and bases. The tower arch has three wave-moulded orders, with the inner order rising from semi-octagonal responds, and evidence remains for a vaulted tower ceiling. The chancel arch is of two hollow-chamfered orders rising from short triple shafts with moulded caps on corbels. A double piscina, sedilia with trefoiled ogee heads, and a piscina in each aisle are also present. The roofs of the nave aisles and chancel are from the 16th or 17th centuries, featuring plain chamfered timbers and, in the 19th-century nave roof, eleven carved figures and stencilled decoration. The early 14th-century font is octagonal with a moulded base. A late medieval restored pulpit and restored pews with carved poppy heads are also present. Stalls in the chancel, dating from the 16th century and earlier, are backed by linen fold panelling. A reredos, which incorporates a pedimented centre piece with paired Ionic columns installed around 1750 by Elizabeth Holworthy (William Cole), serves as a partition wall to the vestry in the north aisle. The 18th-century communion rails remain.