Holy Trinity Church, Rotherhithe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church
51°30′02″N 0°02′05″W / 51.50048°N 0.03473°W / 51.50048; -0.03473
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Status	active
Dedicated	1957
Architecture
Architect(s)	Thomas Ford
Administration
Parish	Holy Trinity, Rotherhithe
Archdeaconry	Southwark
Episcopal area	Woolwich
Diocese	Southwark

Holy Trinity Church is a special place of worship in Rotherhithe, a part of south east London. It is a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. The church is part of the Diocese of Southwark.

The Church's Story: A Look Back

Building the First Church

The first church building on this spot was constructed between 1837 and 1838. At that time, the area was growing fast. Many people were moving in because the Surrey Commercial Docks were expanding. The older church in Rotherhithe, St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe, could not hold everyone.

The first Holy Trinity Church was designed by Sampson Kempthorne. He built it in a style called neo-Gothic. This style looked like old medieval churches.

The church had a small area for the altar and a wide, simple main hall. It also had entrance areas and a tall tower at the west end. Large, narrow windows let in light. The whole church was designed in a style from the 1200s. The tower had a decorative top that looked like castle walls.

The Churchyard Becomes a Garden

The churchyard, which was a burial ground, stopped being used for burials in 1858. Later, in 1885, a group called the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association turned it into a small public garden. This gave local people a nice green space to enjoy.

Destruction During World War II

Sadly, the original church building was destroyed during The Blitz on September 7, 1940. The Blitz was a time when German planes dropped many bombs on London during the Second World War. Holy Trinity Church was hit by special bombs that caused fires. It was the very first British church to be destroyed in the war.

The vicar, Reverend Joseph Thrift, was in charge of the church during the war. On the night of the bombing, he managed to escape with only the clothes he was wearing. He made sure everyone else was safe. Then, he rowed a boat across the river to another area, even as bombs were still falling. After the bombing, Reverend Thrift asked for help in a church newspaper. He wrote: "Holy Trinity, Rotherhithe. Church bombed and everything destroyed. Can you supply one of our immediate needs?"

A New Beginning for the Church

The school buildings next to the church survived the bombing. These buildings were used for church services until a new church was built in 1959. Today, they are still used as the Church Hall. A memorial from WWI also survived the bombing. It is now a protected historical site.

The new church building was designed by Thomas Ford in 1957. It has a very special painting inside. This painting shows the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It was created by a German artist named Hans Feibusch.

The church is known for its great sound quality. Since 2016, a group called Musica Antica Rotherhithe has held concerts there. They play old music from the 1400s, 1500s, and 1600s.

Images for kids

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  Church interior

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  Sanctuary with mural

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  Pulpit

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  Foundation stone