Holy Trinity Church, Horwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church |
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| The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, Horwich | |
Horwich Parish Church
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| 53°35′57″N 2°32′15″W / 53.5991°N 2.5374°W | |
| Location | Horwich, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Holy Trinity Church at bhrmp.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish Church |
| Founded | before 1552 |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Consecrated | 1831 (present church) |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed building |
| Architect(s) | Francis Octavius Bedford |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Horwich |
| Deanery | Deane |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
Holy Trinity Church, also known as Horwich Parish Church, is a special old building in Horwich, Greater Manchester, England. It's a Grade II listed building, which means it's important and protected. This church is still used today by the Church of England. It is part of a larger group of churches in Horwich and Rivington, including St Catherine's Church, St Elizabeth's Church, and Rivington Anglican Church.
Contents
History of Holy Trinity Church
There have been three different churches or chapels on the spot where Holy Trinity Church stands today. We don't know exactly when the first chapel was built, but it was there before the English Reformation. Back then, it was a small chapel that belonged to a bigger church called St Mary the Virgin's Church, Deane.
In 1565, some officials removed items from the chapel that they thought were not allowed. The oldest gravestone in the churchyard is from 1648. However, the church's official records, called registers, only started in 1660. After a big event in history called the Glorious Revolution in 1688, the chapel was used by a different group of Protestants called Nonconformists. But in 1716, the Bishop of Chester brought it back for the official Church of England.
Building the Current Church
As the town grew during the Industrial Revolution, more people moved to Horwich. So, in 1782, the old chapel was replaced with a bigger building. About 50 years later, this second chapel was replaced by the church you see today. It was designed by an architect named Francis Octavius Bedford and officially opened in 1831.
This church is known as a "Waterloo Church" or "Commissioners' Church." This means part of its cost was paid for by the parliament of the United Kingdom. This money came from a special fund set up after Britain's victory in the Battle of Waterloo. The government paid a large sum, and the rest was given by the Ridgway family, who owned a local factory. Horwich officially became its own parish on December 29, 1853, and the chapel became the main parish church.
In 1903, a new part called the chancel was added to the east end of the church. It was designed by architect Richard Knill Freeman and built to remember Reverend Henry Septimus Pigot, who was the vicar (a type of priest) for 48 years.
Church Design and Features
Holy Trinity Church is built from stone with a slate roof. It's designed in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older medieval churches.
Outside the Church
The church has a main part called the nave with four sections. It has tall, narrow windows with Y-shaped stone patterns. The outside walls have strong supports called buttresses, which are topped with pointy decorations. The chancel at the east end has a large window with four sections. There are also entrances on the north and south sides.
The church has a tall tower at the west end. This tower has eight-sided turrets (small towers) that become angled buttresses higher up. The top of the tower has a decorative wall with openings and pointy decorations at the corners. The tower also has a clock on all four sides and openings where the bells can be heard.
Inside the Church
Inside, Holy Trinity Church has balconies on the north, south, and west sides. These balconies are held up by strong, angled pillars. The ceiling is made of plaster and has a ribbed, arched design.
Behind the altar, there's a decorative screen called a Reredos, which was added in 1923. At the back of the main church area, you can still see one of the original box pews. These were like small, enclosed seating areas. The area where the organ is located has a window with three sections.
There's a beautiful stained glass window from 1874 in the south aisle. The large east window, which is the main window at the front, was made in 1927. It includes some older glass and the family crest of the Ridgway family. You can also see the Ridgway family crest carved in stone inside the church. There's a statue of a woman kneeling in prayer, made by Richard Westmacott, which is a monument to Joseph Ridgway, who helped pay for the church. The family tomb of the Barons Willoughby of Parham is also at the church.
The tower holds a set of eight bells, which are used for change ringing. All these bells were made by a company called John Taylor & Co in 1913.
Burials
- Thomas Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby of Parham (buried under the chancel)
Churchyard
The churchyard around Holy Trinity Church contains the war graves of 26 service members. This includes 22 people who died in World War I and four who died in World War II.
See also
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Horwich
- List of Commissioners' churches in Northeast and Northwest England
