Holy Trinity Church, Chester

Holy Trinity Church, Chester is a redundant church in Watergate in the city of Chester, England (gbmapping|SJ403663). It is a Grade II listed building. In the early 1960s it was converted into the Guildhall.cite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=470468 |title=Images of England: Guildhall |accessdate=2008-01-12 |publisher=English Heritage ]

History

The original building, which had a north aisle, probably dated from the 14th century. The east end and south side were rebuilt in 1680. This church had a spire which was rebuilt in the 1770s but in 1811 was taken down for reasons of safety. [cite book | last =Salter | first =Mark | title =The Old Parish Churches of Cheshire | publisher =Folly Publications | date =1995 | location =Malvern | pages =29 | isbn =1871731232 ] The present church was built between 1865 and 1869 to a design by James Harrison. He died before it was finished and the church was completed by the firm of Kelly and Edwards of Chester.

tructure

It is built in red sandstone with grey slate roofs. Its plan consists of a continuous nave and chancel with clerestory, a west porch, a detached south spire and porch, and a vestry to the south. The tower has three stages with double doors to the east and above this a relief sculpture of Christ enthroned. The second stage has a lancet window and clock faces to the east and south. The third stage has two-light bell-openings, corner buttresses, a pierced parapet and a recessed octagonal stone spire with three lucarnes to each face.

Fittings and furniture

Most of these have been removed. The east window is by Kempecite book | last =Pevsner | first =Nikolaus | authorlink =Nikolaus Pevsner | coauthors =Edward Hubbard | title =The Buildings of England: Cheshire |edition= | publisher =Yale University Press| date =2003| origyear=1971| location =New Haven| pages =152–153 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn =0 300 09588 0 ] and depicts God and major Old Testament figures and saints. Now hidden by flooring is a memorial to John Whitmore who died in 1374. The former chancel screen and the reredos are also hidden.

Notes