Weight: 420 lbs Diameter: 25.63" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Charles & George Mears 1848
Dove Bell ID: 56062 Tower ID: 21262 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Holy Trinity Kentish Town
Diocese of London
Church, 623341
This 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: TQ 287 844
The body of the church has a somewhat awkward plan with a south aisle which ends one bay short of the west end of the nave but continues eastwards most of the way along the south side of the chancel under one continuous roofline. This aisle has two-light windows in each bay, the bays being divided from each other by buttresses.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, nave of six bays with south aisle and hall on the north, chancel with south organ chamber and north vestries.
Dimensions:
Nave 80ft. x 33ft.; chancel 26ft 6in. x 18ft.; south aisle 14ft. wide.
Footprint of Church buildings: 833 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The Revd. David Laing was appointed to work in the district, which then lay in the parish of St. Pancras, on 1st June 1847, without church or schools or any other provision for pastoral ministration. He began services in a room loaned by the London and North-West Railway and in 1848 the schools were built, a room in them being used for services from 9 July 1848. The permanent church was consecrated on 15 October 1850.
The designs were made by Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon in 1849 and exhibited at the Royal Academy. The church was built in the following year. Wyatt (1807-1880) and Brandon (1813-1897) were in partnership from 1838 to 1851 and were responsible jointly and severally for many new churches and restorations.
It was rebuilt after the war with a new hall in place of the north aisle and the spire truncated to the level of the tower parapet; the building was reconsecrated on 17th September 1960. The south porch was demolished in 1979, the doorway has been boarded up and is no longer used. Permanent scaffolding is holding up the west end of the south aisle and shoring is also employed externally. This has not however prevent cracking to the arcading as the wall subsides further.
Exterior Description
The body of the church has a somewhat awkward plan with a south aisle which ends one bay short of the west end of the nave but continues eastwards most of the way along the south side of the chancel under one continuous roofline. This aisle has two-light windows in each bay, the bays being divided from each other by buttresses. West of the termination of the aisle there is a small lancet light in the nave wall and the western pair of lancets of the clerestory appear in the wall above. The east and west walls of the aisle have three-light Decorated windows. The north aisle was badly damaged in the War and consequently demolished, its place being taken by a modern hall built in 1960. The paired lights of the north clerestory are therefore now open to view, together with the blocked arches of the north arcade.
The tower is of four stages with a west doorway with moulded arch carried on nook-shafts in the lowest stage and in the next stage a two-light window. Then comes a band of arcading on each face and openings in the shape of spherical triangles, that in the south wall containing a clock face protected by a sharp timber gablet. At this point the diagonal buttresses at the western angles end, as does the octagonal turret at the south-east angle. Stone weathering covers the narrowing of the tower and the uppermost stage has two paired belfry openings in each face. It is capped by a parapet with blind quatrefoils along each side and carvings of the Four Living Creatures (or symbols of the Evangelists) at the corners.
The chancel has small aisles on the north and south sides, and these appear externally as further complications of the plan which are poorly resolved. They appear between the chancel and the eastern ends of the south aisle and (on the north side) of later vestries as odd little appendages with single trefoiled lancet lights in the east wall and side walls and small parapets pierced with trefoils. Above their roofs, the chancel walls have each two spherical triangles making a sort of clerestory. The east chancel wall has a large five-light window and there are buttresses at the corners of this wall and at the corners of the small aisles, another rather fussy detail.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1951
East window od five lights. Middle three depicts the crucifixion. Outer pair with smaller scenes from the Life of Christ. By Goddard and Gibbs.
Stained Glass
1890
North aisle, east window. By Hannah.
Stained Glass
1920
South aisle east window. Christ by the Sea of Galilee.
Stained Glass
1920
South aisle south window. St Peter by the Sea of Galilee, In memory of John Mapelson, d. 1917.
Stained Glass
Unknown
South aisle. St Jerome and St Augustine of Hippo. In memory of Revd E L Cutts and Mariann Elizabeth Cutts.
Stained Glass
Unknown
South aisle. Christ and St Mary Magdalene. In memory of Reginald Stanley Faber, d. 1908. By Jones and Willis.
Stained Glass
1900
South aisle. The Blessed Virgin Mary and St Mary of Bethany, each with a small predella panel. In memory of Mary Ann Lever, d. 1896. Perhaps also by Jones and Willis.
Stained Glass
1907
South aisle. The Baptist of Christ and Teaching of St John the Baptist. By Clayton and Bell. Boarded up and unclear if glass remains.
Building Materials
Brick
Unknown
Kentish Ragstone
Unknown
Bath Stone
Unknown
Slate
Unknown
Roof tiling
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is now approached through the tower since the south porch was demolished and the doorway blocked. The nave is broad and tall with a thin timber roof. The arcades have alternately round and octagonal pillars with moulded capitals and bases, the arrangement being staggered, not in pairs. The arches have double chamfers and the Early English style is continued, rather eccentrically, in the clerestory. The blocked arches of the north arcade have small windows in the upper part above the roof of the hall and the floor of the nave is paved with stone flags down the central alley-and reconstituted stone flags elsewhere. The south aisle is separated from the body of the nave by thin oak screens, and the western bay which formed the baptistery is now cordoned off and supported by permanent scaffolding due to the subsidence. The next bay communicates with the blocked door of the previous south porch and the ensuing two bays form a Lady Chapel.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
Unknown
Gothic style, oak altar
Altar
Unknown
Altar in the Lady Chapel. Carved with three scenes from the Life of Christ, like the reredos above it.
Reredos
Unknown
Reredos is of oak, carved with blind tracery in the Perpendicular style.
Lectern
1918
Oak in the Jacobean style, presented by the Guild of St Agnes. This has wreaths of flowers up the twisted stem and cherubs and scrolls under the double-sided book-rest.
Font (object)
Unknown
Probably original. Octagonal with plain bowl on a cluster of colonettes. The flat circular cover is of oak with ironwork round the handle.
Organ (object)
Unknown
Two-manual instrument rebuilt by Bishop and Son after the war and more recently by Gray Davison in c. 1965. The Diocesan Organs Adviser commented in a 1998 report that this organ was of historic importance.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 287 844
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
Sources
Showing 9 entries of 9 View All
Quinquennial Inspections
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.