Church Of The Holy Trinity

Church of the Holy Trinity, Blatherwyke

A parish church of 11th to 14th-century origin, with a tower rebuilt in the early 17th century. The chancel was rebuilt in 1819, and the north aisle and north chapel were rebuilt in the mid to late 19th century. The building is constructed of squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings, and has Collyweston slate roofs with 20th-century plain tiles to the inner slopes.

The church comprises a nave, chancel, north aisle and north chapel, a west tower, and a south porch. The south elevation of the chancel features a 2-window range of 3-light Decorated windows with geometrical tracery, separated by 2-stage ashlar buttresses. A corbel table with carved heads runs along the wall, above which rises a gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets, finials and pinnacles at the eastern corners. A late 19th-century 4-light east window with curvilinear tracery and initialled label stops is flanked by 2-stage ashlar buttresses. The north aisle retains a late 19th-century 3-light east window with trefoil circles and foliated label stops.

The north elevation of the north aisle comprises 2 bays with a 1-window range. A late 19th-century 3-light window with intersecting tracery is positioned to the right. To the left stands a priest door with a single chamfered surround, with 2- and 3-stage ashlar buttresses abutting to the left and a 2-stage ashlar buttress to the right. The gabled roof carries an ashlar gable parapet and finial.

The south elevation of the nave is divided into bays with an irregular 2-window range. A 3-light window with intersecting tracery to the right has carved label stops. A central 17th-century 2-light window with a square head and hood mould is also present. A 19th-century porch with an ashlar facade breaks forward to the left. The outer doorway has a double-chamfered surround. Within the porch, a 12th-century inner doorway features a semi-circular double-stepped head and one order of shafts, with a plank door. The nave roof is gabled.

The south elevation of the north aisle spans 2 bays with a 1-window range. A late 19th-century 3-light window with intersecting tracery is positioned to the left. A 2-stage ashlar buttress stands at the corner, and the gabled roof carries ashlar gable parapets and a finial.

The west tower is of 3 stages and unbuttressed, sitting upon a plain plinth. It contains a reset 12th-century west door with a plain arch-head, now blocked. The lower stage features small single-light north and south windows, with similar west windows in the second stage. The upper stage contains 2-light square-head bell-chamber openings with arch-head lights to each face. A plain ashlar parapet with one gargoyle on the north face crowns the tower. A late 19th-century 3-light west window with geometrical tracery and foliated label stops is present in the north aisle.

Interior

The church interior reveals its long history of construction and alteration. A 2-bay north arcade to the nave consists of semi-circular arches with a small single chamfer, supported on circular piers with plain spine abaci. Similar responds are present, with the eastern respond bearing a waterleaf capital. The chancel arch and the arch from the north aisle to the north chapel are both double-chamfered, featuring bracketed responds, though the chancel responds are mutilated. A 12th-century semi-circular tower arch with plain responds is also present. Between the chancel and north chapel runs a 3-bay arcade of approximately 1300, comprising double-chamfered arches with quatrefoil piers and similar responds.

The roof structures are 19th-century works with arched braced trusses. Flanking the east window of the chancel are tall trefoil-head niches with crocketed gables above, with smaller niches positioned between the window and the larger niches. A blocked doorway lies to the left of the altar.

A trefoil-head piscina with an inscribed basin is located in the north aisle. The square font, featuring a wheel-head cross on a circular base, was restored in the late 19th century. The chancel screen has 18th-century turned balusters forming the base, originally probably a communion rail, with a simple 19th-century upper section. Plain early 19th-century panelled pews fill the nave. The pulpit is decorated with reeded pilasters. A second pulpit in the north aisle, probably reset, features elaborate carving with a matching tester.

Stained glass of the late 19th and early 20th centuries fills the chancel and north chapel windows and the west window of the north aisle. Some windows are by Clayton and Bell, while the two south windows of the chancel are probably by Kempe.

Monuments and Memorials

The church contains a rich collection of monuments and memorials spanning many centuries. A coffin lid with a foliated cross is located to the south side of the chancel. Wall-mounted brasses to Humphrey Stafford (died 1548) and his wife are positioned in the north chapel within a simple Gothic surround with flanking columns. A wall monument to the right probably commemorates Sir Humphrey Stafford (died 1575) and his wife, featuring two panels with egg and dart surrounds and kneeling figures, flanking detached columns, and heraldic devices above. A 19th-century inscription accompanies this monument. Sir Humphrey Stafford commenced the building of Kirby Hall.

An inscribed brass floor tablet to Sabbian Cressener (died 1598) is located in the chancel. Various 17th and 18th-century inscribed floor slabs are scattered throughout. A monument to Thomas Randolf, a poet, was commissioned by Sir Christopher Hatton and executed by Nicholas Stone circa 1640. An inscribed marble tablet on the south wall of the north aisle features an oval laurel wreath and commemorates Henry O'Brien (died 1723) and his wife. Reverend Edmund Popple (died 1726) is commemorated by an inscribed tablet on the south wall of the chancel. Various 19th-century tablets in the north aisle and north chapel commemorate the Stafford O'Brien family, who lived at Blatherwyke Hall. A wall tablet on the north wall of the nave describes late 17th-century charities in Blatherwyke.