Church Of Holy Trinity

Church of Holy Trinity

This is a medieval parish church of Grade I importance, dating from the 14th and 15th centuries with substantial later alterations. The chancel was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the entire church underwent restoration between 1901 and 1904, when the chancel was again rebuilt and extended one bay to the east by architect G. Christopher Carter.

The church is constructed of ironstone ashlar and coursed ironstone rubble with lead roofs. It comprises a chancel, north chancel chapel, nave, north and south aisles, a south porch, and a west tower.

The east end is distinguished by a 2-light Perpendicular window with a relieving arch of red tiles and an extended hood mould. Below this window sits a relief carving of angels with the symbol of the Holy Trinity in relief beneath. The gable end is stone-coped with kneelers and a wooden cross at its apex. Flanking buttresses flank the window, with a small niche just below the gable apex. The easternmost bay features small leaded windows on either side, and the south side has two 2-light mullion windows with round-headed tile relieving arches. Fine ornamental lead guttering, rainwater pipes and heads are dated 1904.

The north chancel chapel, continuous with the north aisle, features a 4-light Perpendicular east window and a 2-light north-east window, both with hood moulds. A chamfered pointed arch north door is flanked by aisle windows: a 3-light window to its east and a single light to its west, all with hood moulds. The south aisle contains a 3-light Perpendicular window to the east and south-east with a square head and hood mould, and a 3-light west window.

The south porch is a 2-storey gabled structure with a double-chamfered door and a 1-light window above, both with hood moulds. Small rectangular leaded windows are positioned east and west, and a staircase projection extends from the west side, corbelled out at first-floor level. Inside, the porch has a chamfered stone rib vault. A double-chamfered south door features an unusual double-leaf design with wickets for ventilation; a similar arrangement exists at the north door.

The nave includes a clerestory of four Perpendicular windows on the north and south sides, each of 2 lights with straight heads and hood moulds. The aisles, porch and clerestory have plain parapets with gargoyles to the clerestory. The 3-stage west tower is battlemented with angle buttresses, a double-chamfered west door with hood mould and label stops, 2-light Decorated windows above the door, and 2-light openings to the bell chamber, all with hood moulds.

Interior features are substantial. The chancel is panelled with commandments painted by Eric Gill in 1904, positioned on either side of an altar reredos. A mid-18th century baluster altar rail is present. A round-headed arch to the north chancel chapel, now the vestry, contains a mid-18th century communion table with a marble top. The chancel arch is double-chamfered.

The nave contains arcades of three bays. The north arcade is Decorated in style with tall piers without capitals, their moulding continuous with those of the arches. The south arcade is lower with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches. The south aisle contains a single pointed arch piscina and a part-glazed plank door with chamfered hinges providing access to the parvise stair to the right of the door. The tower arch is double-chamfered with a hood mould and label stops.

The octagonal limestone font sits on a square stem, both carved with flowers, leaves and geometric emblems of the Trinity. A Jacobean pulpit is present. The lectern is of Spanish chestnut, carved by Reverend A. Hemsted of Preston Capes around 1900.

The church contains an important series of brasses, wall monuments and an alabaster chest tomb with effigies belonging to members of the Andrews family, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. An original perspective drawing by G.C. Carter for the chancel rebuilding, showing an unexecuted stone parapet, hangs in the tower.