Hove: Holy Trinity
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 288 51
A small Victorian church of polychrome brick with a tower occupying a prominent position in Eaton Road, an important street. Holy Trinity was built between 1863 and 1864 to serve the new district of Upper Cliftonville. The architect employed was a local man, James Woodman. The church is designed in a style described variously as Lombardo-Gothic or Early English. It has a 4-bay aisled nave, nave extended west with large gallery over vestry rooms, polygonal apse, north-east organ bay and south-east vestry with attached external pulpit.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay aisled nave, nave extended west with large gallery over vestry rooms, polygonal apse, north-east organ bay and south-east vestry with attached external pulpit; entrance via the base of the tower on south front.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 20m (65ft) x 7m (22’9ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
By 1860 the expansion of Hove was making the parish church of St Andrew’s very over crowded and another church was needed. Holy Trinity was built between 1863 and 1864 to serve the new district of Upper Cliftonville. The architect employed was a local man, James Woodman. The tower, which was built two years after the rest of the church, was intended to have a spire. The north aisle was added in 1868. The open-air pulpit dates from 1912. The chancel was refurbished in 1924. Two robing rooms for the choir were inserted under the gallery in 1949, one of which became the vicar’s office in 1975. Church Hall built 1952. Glazed porch.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in a style described variously as Lombardo-Gothic, Early English, or "one where the details are ignorant beyond belief” (Goodhart-Rendell). This might be considered a little harsh, but the massing and particularly the grouping of the tower, south aisle and stair turret is poorly handled.
The church has a crenellated 3-stage tower with 2-light louvred bell-openings, arcade of interlocking arches on south front below clock, pointed arch openings at ground floor level now closed by glass doors, 2-stage stair turret on west front. There is no clearstorey to the nave, slightly lower aisles. The windows are nearly all plate tracery 2-lights, with quatrefoils in the heads or sexfoils as in the west ends of the aisles. The exceptions are the use of lancets in the protruding bay of the nave and the west nave façade, which has a rose window above two sets of triple lancets, over a pointed doorway with hoodmould, no longer used. Stone copings and cross finials.
The flat-roofed external pulpit on the south side of the vestry is built of red brick with Bath stone dressings and has Ionic pilasters supporting a cavetto moulded cornice. It is approached by a short flight of steps with an ashlar wall. There is a studded plank door to the pulpit.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 4-bay aisled
Gallery (ecclesiastical)
19th century over vestry rooms
Vestry
19th century
Organ (component)
19th century north-east bay
Pulpit
19th century external
Tower (component)
19th century with entrance in base
Church Hall
20th century built 1952
Building Materials
Brick
19th century red with colours in arches to window openings
Bath Stone
19th century dressings including sting courses and cornices
Asbestos
19th century roof
Slate
19th century rooding
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is whitewashed. The most striking feature is the open timber roof. This has scissor-braces to the nave, with foliate capitals to the pointed and continuously moulded arcade, the aisles have an unusual roof construction of two tiers of curved struts and tall arcades. Arch-braced roof to chancel carried on foliate corbels, barrel-vaulted roof with ribs in the sanctuary springing from hoodmoulds over the windows. There is a wooden gallery with pierced panels at the west end. The nave has been carpeted and the modern benches turned to face an altar placed under the north arcade of the nave. The south vestry has a solid wooden panelled screen, the arches to the north aisle and chancel display the organ pipes. The sanctuary panelling, choir stalls and altar table date from 1924, the floor is of black and white chequerboard tiles.
Fixtures and fittings
Clock
20th Century Clock made in 1949 by John Smith & Sons from Derby.
Historical Notes
1949 - 1949
Period Qualifier: 2
Altar
20th century Oak chest with panelled front 1924, of a piece with the reredos.
Reredos
19th century Oak panelling 1924.
Pulpit
20th century The pulpit is of oak. According to the church guidebook, it originally "projected over the north edge of the chancel opening" but was replaced in 1934. Integral wooden steps and rail.
Lectern
20th century Carved oak, 1968.
Font (component)
19th century Font of Caen stone supported by columns of Sicilian marble presented in 1878, the carved canopy added 1924, quite ornate.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • One window in the north aisle by Hardman, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, 1871. • East chancel windows given in memory of Capt John Taylor died 1852 and his wife. Central lights have Christ’s Baptism and the Last Supper, flanking windows have shields and texts, may be earliest windows in the church. • Western window in the south aisle, semi-abstract nautical rescue scene (Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea?) with swirling blue and white, 1971. • Three 2-light stained glass windows in the aisles made by Ward and Hughes. These range in date from the mid 1860s to the late 1870s. Good quality, perhaps the church’s best point. Depict scenes from the Ministry and Passion of Christ.
Plaque (component)
20th century Brass plaques, including dedication of chancel furnishings etc in memory of a Alfred Easton in 1924.
Inscribed Object
20th century Two marble tablets in memory of the Revd John Fraser, died 1909 and Revd Frederick Thomas Andrewes, died 1917.
Organ (component)
20th century 3-manual organ by Morgan & Smith, 1926.
Rail
19th century Wrought iron standards, oak rail.
Inscribed Object
20th century Large canopied oak memorial, tripartite, in memory of the fallen in World War I.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1871.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 288 51
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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