Kendal Parish Church Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Kendal Parish Church
Holy Trinity Church, Kendal

Kendal Parish Church Location in South Lakeland Show map of South Lakeland Kendal Parish Church Location in Cumbria Show map of Cumbria
54°19′21″N 2°44′41″W / 54.3225°N 2.7446°W / 54.3225; -2.7446
Location	Kendal, Cumbria, England
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Status	Active
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade I listed
Designated	24 April 1951
Completed	1201
Specifications
Capacity	1100
Administration
Province	Province of York

Kendal Parish Church, also known as Holy Trinity Church, is a very old and important church in Kendal, Cumbria, England. It's a special building because it's listed as Grade I. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country.

When you visit, you'll notice how big it is and how bright it feels inside. This brightness comes from its unique design. The church has five aisles, which are like long hallways, separated by columns. This design allows for many windows, letting in lots of light.

The oldest part of the church, the nave, is about 800 years old. Other aisles were added over many years. In the past, the church was large enough to hold about 1100 people for services.

History of Kendal Parish Church
Church Organs
Gallery
See also

History of Kendal Parish Church

Early Beginnings: Anglo-Saxon Times

The story of Kendal Parish Church goes back a long way. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, mentions a church already standing here during the Anglo-Saxon period. Some people think the Anglo-Saxons might have used stones from an old Roman fort nearby to build it.

Inside the church, in the Parr Chapel, you can see a piece of an Anglian cross. This cross shaft is very old, dating back to around 850 AD. It's a cool piece of history!

Norman Era and Beyond

The Normans took control of the Westmorland area in 1092. A Norman baron named Ivo Taillebois became the first ruler of Kentdale (the old name for Kendal). He gave the church and its lands to St. Mary's Abbey in York.

In 1189, a sad event happened when the people of Kendal were attacked inside the church by Duncan, Earl of Fife.

During some repairs in 1829, workers found an arch carved with the date 1201. This shows how old parts of the building are. We also know the church was standing by 1232, because a record from that year talks about money being given for repairs.

The Parr Family Chapel

The Parr Chapel was built by the powerful Parr family in the 1300s. You can still see their family coats of arms on the ceiling. The chapel also features carvings of "maidenheads," which were a special symbol for the Parr family. This symbol was originally from the Ros of Kendal family, who were ancestors of the Parrs.

A very important person connected to this chapel is Katherine Parr. She became the last Queen Consort of King Henry VIII. The large tomb in this chapel belongs to her grandfather, William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Kendal.

Church Organs

Kendal Parish Church has two organs, which are large musical instruments:

The main organ is at the west end of the church. It was built in 1969 by J.W. Walker and includes parts from an even older organ from the 1800s.
A smaller choir organ is at the east end. This organ was built around 1885 and was bought by the church in 2002.