Holy Trinity, Sloane Street facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Sloane Street |
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| The Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity | |
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| Location | Sloane Street, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | www.sloanechurch.org |
| History | |
| Dedicated | 1890 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | John Dando Sedding |
| Style | Arts and Crafts Gothic |
| Years built | 1888–1890 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Upper Chelsea, Holy Trinity with St Saviour |
| Deanery | Chelsea |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
Holy Trinity Sloane Street is a beautiful Church of England parish church located in London, England. It's also known as the Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. This church was built between 1888 and 1890 on Sloane Street. It was designed in a special style called Arts and Crafts by a famous architect named John Dando Sedding. A wealthy person, the 5th Earl Cadogan, paid for it. This new church replaced an older, smaller one that was less than 60 years old.
Contents
History of the Church
The First Building
The first church on this spot was built between 1828 and 1830. It was designed by James Savage in a Gothic style. The church was made of brick with stone decorations. It had a grand entrance facing the street, with tall, eight-sided towers.
This first church could hold many people, about 1,450 in 1838. It was meant to be a smaller church helping the main St Luke's Church. However, it soon got its own parish in 1831. The building was taken down in 1888. A temporary iron church was set up nearby while the new, bigger church was being built.
The Current Building
The new church, which is the one you see today, was built on a very large scale. It was designed by John Dando Sedding. Even though it's not the longest church in London, it was the widest. It was even a little wider than St Paul's Cathedral!
Inside, many talented artists and sculptors helped decorate the church. These included people like F. W. Pomeroy and Hamo Thornycroft. When Sedding died in 1891, Henry Wilson took over. He worked to finish the church's interior design. Some parts, like certain stained glass windows, were never completed.
In the 1920s, the inside of the church was painted white. This made the building feel much brighter and lighter.
The church has an amazing collection of stained glass windows. The huge east window was made by famous artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. There are also windows by William Blake Richmond and Christopher Whall. The large west window was never finished. Its plain glass was later destroyed during World War II.
During World War II, the church was badly damaged by bombs. However, it was carefully restored to look almost exactly as it did before. In the 1960s, some church leaders wanted to close and tear down the building. But a campaign led by John Betjeman and the Victorian Society saved it.
Today, the church has a busy community. It continues to support artists and musicians, just as it did when it was first built.
Music at Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity has always been known for its excellent Anglican church music. A full choir performed regularly from when the church opened until the 1970s. Since 1987, choral music has become very popular again. This is thanks to many dedicated choirmasters and musicians.
The church now has a professional singing group. It also has an associate choir called conQordia. Many other choirs visit and perform here too.
The Organ
The architect, John Sedding, was an organist himself. He made sure there was a very large space for the church's organ. This organ was built by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. It was damaged during the Second World War but was repaired in 1947.
In 2012, the organ was fully rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison. The goal was to restore and make it even bigger. It now has 71 different sounds and about 4,200 pipes. This makes it one of the most important organs in London.
Famous Organists
Many famous organists have played at Holy Trinity. These include Edwin Lemare (1892–95) and Sir Walter Alcock (1895–1902). The composer John Ireland also played here. These musicians were leaders in their field.
Sir Walter Alcock later played the organ for three coronations. He also worked at Salisbury Cathedral. The tradition of great music continues at Holy Trinity to this day.
Holy Trinity Today
Holy Trinity helps connect Christians around the world. From 2004 to 2012, it hosted the Awareness Foundation. This group works to help people of different faiths understand and respect each other. They have branches in places like the Middle East and North America.
As a local church, Holy Trinity offers many services and community events. It is also a popular place for concerts. The large main area of the church, called the nave, is very flexible. It can be used for many different events.
The church also supports the arts. An arts and crafts group was started here. There is also an annual summer festival called the Chelsea Schubert Festival. Many other concerts and recitals happen throughout the year.
In 2011, the parish of St Saviour, Upper Chelsea, joined with Holy Trinity. The church building in Walton Place is now a smaller chapel connected to Holy Trinity.
Notable People Connected to the Church
Many important people have attended or helped at Holy Trinity Sloane Street. The church attracted people from different backgrounds.
Famous politicians like Gladstone and Dilke both came to the church. Gladstone was known for walking to the morning service with the organist. Dilke lived very close by, and his funeral was held at Holy Trinity.
The church also attracted artists and writers. Some of them were friends with Oscar Wilde. The Cadogan family, who owned the land, also deeply valued the church.
In the 1920s, the church was very popular. It had a large team of clergy, including the priest and hymn writer Percy Dearmer.
On January 16, 1896, a special wedding took place here. George William Howard Bowen, whose father was Sir George Ferguson Bowen, married Gertrude Chamberlain. She was the niece of Joseph Chamberlain, a government minister.
There is a memorial inside the church for Archibald Sturrock (1816–1909). He was a chief engineer for a railway company. After he retired, he lived in Upper Chelsea.
The actor Ernest Thesiger was an active member of the church. He even paid to have some of the stone carvings in the church completed.
