Holy Trinity Church, Dalston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church, Dalston |
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Holy Trinity Church
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| 51°32′39.6″N 0°4′23.3″W / 51.544333°N 0.073139°W | |
| Location | London Borough of Hackney |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Catholic |
| Website | Holy Trinity Church website |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Ewan Christian |
| Years built | 1879 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Hackney |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
Holy Trinity Church, Dalston, also known as the Clowns’ Church, is a special building in London. It is a Church of England parish church located on Beechwood Road in the London Borough of Hackney. This church is part of a larger parish, which used to include St Philip Dalston. St Philip's church was sadly damaged during World War II and later taken down.
From 1998 to 2014, a vicar named Rose Hudson-Wilkin led the church. She was also a chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. She also served as a priest at Westminster Abbey and as a chaplain to the Queen.
Building History and Design
Holy Trinity Church was designed by Ewan Christian. He was a famous architect who designed and restored many churches. He also designed the National Portrait Gallery in London. The main part of the church was built between 1878 and 1879. The money for its construction came from selling another church, St Martin Outwich, in the City of London.
The church is a Grade II-listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. It was given this special status in 1975. People noted its architect's reputation and its impressive High Victorian style. This style has influences from other European countries.
The church is built with red bricks in the Early English style. It has a roof made of slate. Inside Holy Trinity, you can see a screen that came from St Philip, Dalston. This screen was moved after St Philip's church was damaged by bombs in December 1940. The church's east window was added after the war. It features beautiful glass made by A. F. Erridge.
The Clowns' Church Tradition
Holy Trinity is famously known as the Clowns’ Church. This is because of a special annual service held there. It takes place on the first Sunday in February. This service honors Joseph Grimaldi, a very famous clown, and other clowns who have passed away.
The service started in 1946 or 1947. It was first held at St James's Episcopal Chapel. That's where Grimaldi is buried, in what is now Joseph Grimaldi Park. The service moved to Holy Trinity in 1959. This happened after St James's Chapel was no longer used as a church. Clowns attend the service in their full costumes. After the service, they usually put on a performance for everyone.
The vestry of Holy Trinity Church is home to the Clowns Gallery-Museum. This museum has many interesting clown items. It also includes the unique Clown Egg Register.
More Information
- Pictures from the Clowns’ Service
