Description

WOLVERTON

891/2/9 OLD WOLVERTON ROAD
18-JUL-01 OLD WOLVERTON
Church of the Holy Trinity

II*

Anglican Parish Church. 1809-1815, with medieval origins, by Henry Hakewill. Attleborough sandstone ashlar from Warwickshire, with some similar stone from Bilston, Staffordshire, conveyed to site by canal; limestone ashlar, probably re-used from previous church, below sill level and to gables. Welsh slate roofs to body of church, and flat copper roof to tower.

EXTERIOR: 2-bay nave with transepts, and square chancel with vestry to south side. Large west tower of 3 stages incorporating medieval central tower. Large west portal of 3 orders with interlacing arcading over. Tower, nave and transepts have round-headed windows. Chancel has over-sized round east window with Portland stone tracery of 8 lobes round large central circle. Corbel table to parapet. Prominent gables to transepts and chancel, which rise above roofs, flanked by octagonal lantern turrets with ribbed pyramidal finials; based on similar turrets at Peterborough Cathedral.

INTERIOR: Tower has blocked C14 arches to north and south sides, to former transeptal chapels, of 2 chamfered pointed arches dying into piers within chamfered, shouldered arch with pointed arched head. They are of Northamptonshire limestone set in local coursed limestone rubble. Doorway to SW corner, leading to medieval stone spiral staircase. Re-used stone paving to tower and nave. 3 stone steps up to chancel, which has re-used C17 limestone paving with small black polished slate squares to intersections, and black and white marble chequer paving within communion rails. Flat beamed ceilings, except to chancel, which has ribbed plaster vault with large central boss. Wall paintings of c.1870 to east wall of nave, round chancel arch and to east wall by Daniel Bell of the firm Bell and Almond, which carried out a complete scheme of polychromatic, stencilled decoration designed by Edward Swinfen Harris; stencilled decoration has been painted over in places. Large monument to north side of chancel in grey veined marble, dated 1685, with recumbent figure of Sir Thomas Longueville (d. 1685) in statuary marble, attributed to Thomas Stayner. Stained glass east window of 1888 by Nathaniel Westlake, made by firm of Lavers and Westlake. Nave has stained glass windows probably designed by Daniel Bell, of c.1870-79. Other C19 stained glass windows to north and south windows of transepts. Round stone pulpit with decoration by Bell and Almond of c. 1870. Font has tall oak font cover by E. Swinfen Harris.

SOURCES: Records of Buckinghamshire, Vol.4 1871, 94-6 N.
Pevsner, Buildings of England, Buckinghamshire, 1960, 299.
J. Brushe, A History and Description of Holy Trinity Church, Wolverton, 1999.

Listing NGR: SP8032241300

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Holy Trinity Church at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17551945

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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