Holy Trinity Church, Bordesley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church, Bordesley |
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Holy Trinity Church, Bordesley
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| 52°28′14″N 1°52′39″W / 52.4705°N 1.8776°W | |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Francis Goodwin |
| Groundbreaking | 1820 |
| Completed | 1822 |
| Construction cost | £14,235 |
| Closed | 1971 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1821 persons |
| Length | 135.5 feet (41.3 m) |
| Width | 75.8 feet (23.1 m) |
| Height | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Spire height | 83.6 feet (25.5 m) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Anglican Diocese of Birmingham |
Holy Trinity Church, Bordesley, is a historic building in Birmingham, England. It used to be a Church of England parish church. Today, it is a Grade II listed building, which means it is important and protected.
Contents
History of Holy Trinity Church
Building the Church
Holy Trinity Church was built between 1820 and 1822. The architect was Francis Goodwin. The church was designed in a style called decorated perpendicular gothic. This style was popular in England for churches.
The building cost £14,235, which was a lot of money back then! Local people helped raise the money. The government also gave a grant through the Parliamentary Commissioners. This is why it is called a "Commissioners' church."
The church was officially opened on January 23, 1823. A bishop named James Cornwallis led the ceremony.
Church Design and Features
The church has a classic rectangular shape. It has a slightly curved back part called an apse. The outside is made of Bath stone. It has tall, thin supports called buttresses with small spires on top. These divide the windows. There are also eight-sided towers at the corners.
The main entrance is set back under a pointed roof. The ceiling inside used to have beautiful decorations. Some parts of the ceiling are still there.
Important Events and People
Holy Trinity Church was important for a movement in the Anglican Church called the High Church movement. This movement focused on more traditional church practices.
The second vicar (a church leader) was Rev Dr Joseph Oldknow. He was known for being a Ritualist priest in Birmingham. Ritualists used more ceremonies and symbols in their church services.
After Oldknow, Richard William Enraght became the vicar in 1874. He was also an Anglo-Catholic, which is part of the High Church movement. He used candles, incense, and special wafers during services. He also wore special robes like a chasuble and alb. He even mixed water with the communion wine. These practices were not common in the Church of England at that time.
The Bordesley Wafer Case
Many people, especially those who were more Protestant, did not like these "ritualist" practices. They thought they were too much like Roman Catholic traditions.
In 1879, Richard Enraght was put on trial. He refused to attend the trial. He was found guilty under a new law called the Public Worship Regulation Act of 1874. This law was made to stop "Romish" practices in the church. Enraght was sent to prison in Warwick for 49 days. This event became famous across the country and was known as the Bordesley Wafer Case.
After this, Enraght's permission to be a vicar was taken away. In 1883, a new vicar, Rev Alan H Watts, was appointed. Many people in the church were not happy about this.
A Difficult Welcome for the New Vicar
The London Evening News reported on March 12, 1883, about what happened when Rev Watts tried to start his new role. The church was very crowded, and many police officers were there.
When Mr. Watts entered the church, people groaned loudly. They groaned again when he read the first lesson. When he tried to read the official statement to become the vicar, there was a lot of noise and shouting. The police tried to make people quiet, but it was hard. Even though it was noisy, Mr. Watts finished the service.
After the service, an angry crowd followed him until he got into a taxi and left. That evening, the church was full again. The new vicar was hissed at slightly when he entered. He gave a sermon, and this time, there was no disorder. When he left, a large crowd was waiting, but he was not harmed.
Later Years and Closure
The church's burial ground was closed in 1873. However, families could still use their graves until 1925. Some graves were moved when a road was made wider. Many gravestones were removed after the church stopped being used for services in the late 1960s.
In 1875, a group of cricketers from the church formed a football team. This team later became Birmingham City F.C..
The church officially closed in 1971. For some years, it was used as a shelter for people without homes. This lasted until around 1999. Today, the building is empty. There were plans to tear it down in the late 1970s, but this did not happen. In 2014, there were ideas to turn it into homes.
Vicars of Holy Trinity Church
Here is a list of the vicars who served at Holy Trinity Church:
- Samuel Crane, 1823–41
- Joseph Oldknow, 1841–74
- Richard William Enraght, 1874–83
- Alan Hunter Watts, 1883–87
- Henry Sutton, 1887-95
- G.C. Williamson, 1897-1902
- Frank Trevelyan Snow, 1904-10
- Frank Hay Gillingham, 1910–14 (He was also a cricketer for Essex county!)
- Stephen Harold Wingfield-Digby, 1914-16
- Frederick Arthur Redwood ?-1926
- Norman Campbell Orr, 1926-36
- James France Hinett, 1936-41
- Edgar Francis Andrew Morgan, 1941-50
- Henry Raveley Guest MC, 1951–61.
The Church Organ
The organ in Holy Trinity Church was built by a company called Banfield in 1847. Over the years, it was changed several times. You can find details about the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register. This register keeps records of church organs. It says the organ was removed, but it does not say when or where it went.
Organists
Here are some of the people who played the organ at the church:
- Henry Simms 1825 – 1872
- Mr. A. Tricker, F.C.O. 1883
- Dr William Thomas Belcher 1884 – 1905 (He used to be the organist at St Mary's Church, Handsworth)
