HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE
AIDAN MCRAE THOMSON, ‘GLASS ANGEL’
WENDY HARRIS & PAUL SCOTT
The photographs on this website have been mostly provided by the photographers Aidan McRae Thomson, ‘Glass Angel‘ and Wendy Harris. Their contributions are denoted in the text by the initials AMT, GA and WH. I am very grateful to them for the use of their excellent photographs, and more details are given in the Conclusion. There are also a number of photos taken from the video walk-through of the church, especially helpful as ‘navigation photos’. Ownership of this video is a little unclear (Google Maps or the Church?), but here the photos are designated GM for Google Maps. I gratefully acknowledge this source, and again, details can be found in the Conclusion.
A brief history of this Church is given below. However, if you want to begin your tour of the Church immediately, tap / click on START. You can also access intermediate points in the tour by a tap / click on the following links:
NOTE ON MAGNIFYING IMAGES
With this website format the images are large enough for most purposes. If there is a need for greater magnification of an image, go to the identical photo on the appropriate website listed in the Conclusion.
SATELLITE VIEW
The satellite view shows the Church as essentially rectangular in shape witha central tower.
The orientation of the Church is just off geographical east-west, with the sanctuary at the eastern end. It is therefore easy for us to identify our liturgical directions (capital letters: for example East for the position of the sanctuary) and the geographical directions.
We notice that the North side of the Church has been extended along the full length of the Church, completely incorporating the old North porch and the North transept, while the South transept extends a little. The vestries at the Eastern corners of the Church have a low profile, allowing the choir aisle Eastern windows to look over them.
We shall begin our exploration near the West door in Trinity Lane, and walk right around the Church in an anticlockwise direction. We shall then enter the Church through the West door.
PLAN
The Church layout is fairly conventional with a central high nave / tower (crossing) / choir / sanctuary and an aisle on either side. Chapels have been added along the North side of the Church. Entry is via the West doors, and the North Porch is something of a mystery. I found it described as a private chapel, and it appears not to be open for public viewing.
The East nave is dominated by the baptismal font, with a clear space all around. The Archdeacon’s Chapel now seems to be a repository for many historic monuments, and the lovely little St Thomas Chapel is a war memorial chapel, now called the Peace Chapel.
HISTORY
Year Built: 1113? 1257+
Address: 5A Priory Row, Coventry
Simon Jenkins’ Rating: **
55 Major British Churches: √
The first known reference to Holy Trinity Church is in 1113. Its beginnings are tied in to the history of the Benedictine Priory of St Mary which was associated with Earl Leofric and Lady Godiva. The church appears to have originally been established next door to the Priory to act as a ‘side chapel’ to the priory church and for the use of the priory’s tenants.
The original Norman church was all but destroyed in a fire in 1257. The North porch was the only part of the original building to survive and is still in use today. The rest of the church was entirely rebuilt during the 14th Century. The walls were brightly painted, helping those churchgoers who could not read to understand the messages of the Bible.
One example of this ancient artwork still remains. During the 1430s, the painting of the Last Judgement was created above the tower arch to demonstrate the eternal consequences of both charitable and uncharitable acts. The painting has twice disappeared from view across the centuries but, after years of painstaking restoration, it was finally revealed in 2004.
The church underwent massive upheaval during the Reformation in the reigns of Henry VIII and his son Edward , losing most of its priests and many of its treasures.
The church has been made up of many interesting and passionate people across the years. There have been notable priests, ranging from the first vicar of the church, Ralph de Sowe, through John Bryan, who was deemed too non-conformist to remain in 1662, to the 19th century’s Rev Dr Walter Farquar Hook who, according to one parishioner, ‘set everything a-going’.
He was responsible for, among other things, the establishment of a savings bank, an infant school, a dispensary and the beginning of evening services at the church.
A celebrated 18th century actress, Sarah Siddons, was married in the church in 1773 and Mary Ann Evans, the 19th century novelist better known by her pen name of George Eliot, attended Holy Trinity for many years.
Along with the whole of Coventry, Holy Trinity and its people experienced great trauma in November 1940, when German air raids laid waste to great areas of the city. The church was saved from destruction by the amazing commitment and bravery of the vicar at the time, the Rev Clitheroe. A more detailed account is given below.
Holy Trinity’s long story continues still, as a lively church, rooted in God’s love and with a passion to serve Coventry. It is a house of prayer for all, inviting everyone who enters to take time to experience the special peace that can be found in this place.
Holy Trinity and the Blitz
It was little surprise that Coventry was a target for the Germans during World War II. With a long history of manufacturing, the city was an obvious place for the production of military supplies, and particularly armaments. By the time war was officially declared in 1939, the city and its people were already making a huge contribution to the war effort. However, in spite of previous raids in the city and the extensive bombings in London, no one was prepared for the size and horror of the attack that Coventry experienced on 14th November 1940. During the 11-hour raid, mixtures of high explosives, incendiaries, oil bombs and landmines were dropped. The fires and explosions proved too many and too fierce and, in spite of the best efforts of many firefighters and wardens, the ancient city centre, which had not altered a great deal since medieval times, was almost totally destroyed. Worse still, by the end of the raid over 500 people had died and more than a thousand were injured.
That Holy Trinity survived, when most buildings in the city centre, including the cathedral, were destroyed, is largely due to the amazing efforts, preparation and bravery of Rev Graham Clitheroe, vicar of Holy Trinity at the time. He, along with two or three others, including his curate and one of his sons, defended the church building from incendiaries and explosive devices all night. They had been sleeping in the North Porch to allow them to keep watch during previous raids and Rev Clitheroe had bought hydrants and ladders which they used to stop fires taking hold. On the night of 14th November, they spent the whole night extinguishing fires around the building and even pushing bombs off the church roof to stop further damage. They also took in exhausted fire crews and let them rest in the North Porch.
Rev Clitheroe later described how heartbreaking it was to see the cathedral and other buildings destroyed but also how he knew he could not leave Holy Trinity.
Thanks to this amazing and faithful team, Holy Trinity’s ancient buildings survived. Rev Clitheroe knew what a powerful symbol the church still standing was to a traumatised city and he hung huge signs on the church, stating that ‘It all depends on us and we depend on God’. Holy Trinity also went on to host the cathedral congregation, Rev Clitheroe sharing sermons with Provost Howard, until 1945.
Holy Trinity was not untouched by the Blitz – it lost its great East and West windows, which went on to be replaced. The new East window (or ‘Brides’ window) was paid for by couples who married in the church during the 1940s and 50s.
Despite this damage, Holy Trinity’s overall survival has made it an enduring symbol of the connection between Coventry’s long history and its rebirth after the Blitz, as well as a sign of God’s love and faithfulness continuing in the city, even at the most difficult of times.
https://www.holytrinitycoventry.org.uk/discover/our-heritage/
