Nominal: 552 Hz Weight: 2663 lbs Diameter: 52.5" Bell 1 of 12
Founded by Thomas Stafford 1631
Dove Bell ID: 3640 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: eighth Cracked: No
Kendal: Holy Trinity
Diocese of Carlisle
Major Parish Church, 607217
http://www.kendalparishchurch.co.ukThis church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SD 516 921
The Church is the oldest building in Kendal, indeed, in the valley of the river Kent. The site is even more ancient as evidenced by its 8/9 Century Anglo-Saxon cross shaft with vine scroll carving of the type found at Bewcastle, Heversham and Lowther. At the time of the Domesday Survey the settlement was Kirkbie Kendal, the church town of the Anglo-Saxon Kent dale. The market town on the adjoining hill was a later foundation. The modern town still exhibits this dual foundation with the Church and the Town Hall expressing in landmark buildings the spiritual and commercial cores of the settlement. The Church and its Tower are important landmarks on the approaches to the town centre from the south and south-east. Within Kirkland the views of the Church from its ornate West gate from the main thoroughfare and from the riverside footpath are particularly important. The views of the monumental east front from the east, across the River Kent from the town’s main circulation route, are a key feature in the character of the town and its central Conservation Area. The Church is a Grade 1 Listed Building and forms an important historic and architectural group with the adjoining associated Listed Buildings comprising Abbot Hall, the Parish Hall, the Ring of Bells PH in the corner of the churchyard and Nether Bridge, the medieval river crossing. The historic layout of this part of the Conservation Area curves around the ecclesiastical core buildings and their open spaces and is enclosed by the river, its tributary becks and the low hills rising from the river terrace. Externally the important views from Kirkland to the west are framed by classical pillars supporting exuberant, wrought iron gates dating from 1822. In the churchyard between the gates and west front are a stone sundial and an 1896 memorial to Archdeacon Cooper in the form of a copy of the Irton Cross. These external features are in the ownership of the District Council The earliest surviving parts of the building are nave pillars from the thirteenth century with a fifteenth century tower and further nave pillars of similar date. As the town grew with the development of the wool trade after the Scottish Wars of Independence additional aisles were added to the church in the fifteenth and sixteenth century. This has resulted in one of the widest parish churches in the country. The five aisles give an internal width of over 100ft/30 metres and the internal character is of a simple, light and airy square space divided by lines of stone pillars. By the mid nineteenth century the church was in a very poor structural condition and it was extensively restored with significant elements of re-building 1850-52. However the character of the perpendicular architecture and the spaces were retained. Twentieth century alterations of restoring the Parr and Bellingham Chapels and bringing forward the main altar have introduced good quality work by local Arts and Crafts workers. There are early monuments in the Bellingham, Strickland and Parr Chapels, the latter being the chapel of the family of Katherine Parr, last wife of Henry VIII. There are a wealth of eighteenth and nineteenth century wall monuments including one to George Romney and some 20 designed by the highly regarded local architect Webster. There is Victorian stained glass and a modern sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos of the Family of Man.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Footprint of Church buildings: 1671 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical and medieval church site and as a focus for Domesday settlement
Exterior Description
West Gate.
Interior
Bells
Nominal: 1421.5 Hz Weight: 776 lbs Diameter: 30.75" Bell 2 of 12
Founded by Thomas II Mears 1816
Dove Bell ID: 26521 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 1262 Hz Weight: 779 lbs Diameter: 31.5" Bell 3 of 12
Founded by Thomas II Mears 1816
Dove Bell ID: 26522 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 1116.5 Hz Weight: 865 lbs Diameter: 33" Bell 4 of 12
Founded by Pack & Chapman 1775
Dove Bell ID: 26523 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: multiple Cracked: No
Nominal: 1058 Hz Weight: 905 lbs Diameter: 34" Bell 5 of 12
Founded by Pack & Chapman 1775
Dove Bell ID: 26524 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: eighth Cracked: No
Nominal: 935.5 Hz Weight: 998 lbs Diameter: 36.38" Bell 6 of 12
Founded by Pack & Chapman 1774
Dove Bell ID: 26525 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: eighth Cracked: No
Nominal: 832 Hz Weight: 1139 lbs Diameter: 38.75" Bell 7 of 12
Founded by Pack & Chapman 1774
Dove Bell ID: 26526 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: eighth Cracked: No
Nominal: 741.5 Hz Weight: 1400 lbs Diameter: 42.63" Bell 8 of 12
Founded by Thomas II Mears 1816
Dove Bell ID: 26527 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 693.5 Hz Weight: 1680 lbs Diameter: 44" Bell 9 of 12
Founded by Pack & Chapman 1774
Dove Bell ID: 26528 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: multiple Cracked: No
Nominal: 617.5 Hz Weight: 2051 lbs Diameter: 48.88" Bell 10 of 12
Founded by Thomas Stafford 1631
Dove Bell ID: 26529 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 2179 Hz Weight: 112 lbs Diameter: 16" Bell 11 of 12
Founded by Unidentified (blank)
Dove Bell ID: 26530 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 2026 Hz Weight: 301 lbs Diameter: 21.63" Bell 12 of 12
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1866
Dove Bell ID: 63640 Tower ID: 14976 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 516 921
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard is closed for burial by order in council.
The date of the burial closure order is 30/01/1854
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
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
Sources
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