Church of the Holy Trinity (Berwick upon Tweed)
Church of the Holy Trinity, Berwick. Photo by Northumberland County Council, 1972.
[NU 00035319] Holy Trinity Church [TU]. (1)
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1648-52. (2)
In normal use. (3)
840 WALLACE GREEN
I Church of Holy Trinity
NU 0053 11/220 1.8.52
Of exceptional interest because of its rare date. Built 1648-52 by a London mason, with details comparable with St Katherine Cree. No tower. Chancel added in 1855, also clerestory windows. Arcade of five bays with round arches on round Tuscan columns. Jacobean West gallery and pulpit. Reredos in an early work by Lutyens.
Gatepiers at the Church of Holy Trinity. Grade II 2. Gatepiers in churchyard of Church of Holy Trinity. (4)
Parish church. Completed by 1653 to design by John Young, mason, of Blackfriars, London. He signed in 1649/50 (i.e. first three month of 1650) the contract to build the church `conforme to his Moddell or draught'. Style a mixture of classical and Gothic reminiscent of the 1628-31 St Katherine Cree in the City of London; (Colvin 1136). Addition of chancel and other alterations, especially to windows, in 1855, but Fuller's illustration of 1799 (1799: 183) shows very clearly that at that date alternate clerestory windows were Venetian (was that artistic licence or fact?) and there was by then, and perhaps always had been, the Doric west doorcase. Late 19th century alterations to west towers. Ashlar; roof not visible. Chancel and 5-bay aisled nave. Large Venetian East and West windows of 1855, replacing Gothic originals of which west window is seen and both are described in Fuller (1799: 185); tripartite aisle windows with raised central lights were at the same time rounded to make Venetian windows, as were perhaps alternate clerestory windows if the Fuller illustration is unreliable in that respect. Battlemented aisle parapets are 16th century. Pedimented Doric doorcase to round-arched panelled west door; south door in keyed arched panel below central aisle window. West turrets on aisles have octagonal arcades and ogee domes with slender cross finials, replacing smaller simple turrets with spires.
Interior has Tuscan arcades, the N now partly filled with wood-panelled screen for a parish room, and much richly-carved woodwork of Bishop Cosin school including west screen and gallery. 17th century pulpit, the tester restored, and 17th century panels incorporated into 19th century choir stalls. Reredos of 1893 by Edwin Lutyens in delicate classical style allowing West window to be seen through it. A very important church in itself but added significance because it was built during the Commonwealth, one of very few churches of that period (Pevsner and Richmond 1992: 171-172). Recommended as grade I. (5)
Church contains a series of war memorials as:
* marble wall-mounted tablet inscribed "SACRED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ LIEUT. EDWARD YOUNGHUSBAND,/ IX REGT. BOMBAY N.I./ WHO NOBLY FELL BEFORE THE WALLS OF/ MOOLTAN/ 27TH DECEMBER 1848./ HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ THUS RECORD THEIR SINCERE GRIEF FOR THE LOSS/ OF A MOST WARM FRIEND/ AND GALLANT OFFICER".
* white mabrle tablet inscribed "IN MEMORY OF/ GEORGE AUSTIN PATERSON YOUNGHUSBAND/ LIEUTENANT 13TH REGIMENT BOMBAY N.I./ AND ADJUTANT 5TH REGIMENT PUNJAB IRREGULAR CAVALRY,/ WHO WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED IN ACTION NEAR FUTTEGHUR,/ ON THE 2ND OF JANUARY 1858/ AND DIED TWO DAYS AFTERWARDS./ ERECTED AS A TOKEN OF THEIR SINCERE REGARD/ BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ OF THE 13TH REGIMENT BOMBAY N.I."
* plaque inscribed "TO THE MEMORY OF/ JOHN MAITLAND FORSTER, R.N./ SON OF/ MAJOR GENERAL BOWES FORSTER/ AND GRANDSON OF/ GENERAL SIR PEREGRINE MAITLAND G.C.M./ WHO FELL IN ACTION ON BOARD H.M. SHIP/ BELLEROPHONE, 84 GUNS, ON 17TH OCTOBER/ 1854/ DURING THE ATTACK OF THE COMBINED FLEETS/ OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AGAINST/ SEBASTOPOL./ UNIVERSALLY LOVED AND LAMENTED/ BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM/ AGED 16 YEARS."
* reredos panelling and communion rails inscribed "TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WARS 1914 - 1918, 1939 - 1945".
* brass plaque inscribed "IN MUCH LOVE/ MAC ROBERTSON/ LIEUT. 70TH BATTERY 34TH BRIGADE ROYAL FIELD/ ARTILLERY SON OF DR. J.R.S. ROBERTSON/ GRANDSON OF ALEXANDER ROBERTSON J.P. AND/ EDMUND MACRORY K.C. BORN 29TH MAY 1891 AND KILLED/ IN ACTION AT FESTUBERT FRANCE 22ND MAY 1915/ "LIFE - NOT DEATH"/ "WHO DIES IF ENGLAND LIVE?".
* brass plaque inscribed "DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI/ TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF/ JOHN ALEXANDER TOWER ROBERTSON/ ONLY SON OF ALEXANDER TOWER ROBERTSON, D.L./ (TWEEDMOUTH HOUSE, BERWICK ON TWEED)/ LIEUTENANT INDIAN ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS/ ATTACHED TO 2/3 Q.A.O. GURKHA RIFLES/ LOST AT SEA 30TH DECEMBER 1915/ BY THE TORPEDOING OF S.S. "PERSIA"/ WHEN ON HIS WAY TO REJOIN HIS REGIMENT AFTER SERVICE IN FRANCE/ AGED 29 YEARS".
* brass plaque inscribed "IN MEMORY OF/ ARTHUR WILLIAM SWANSTON/ OF MARSHALL MEADOWS/ LIEUTENANT 6TH INNISKILLIN DRAGOONS/ FORMERLY OF NORTHUMBERLAND ARTILLERY MILITIA/ KILLED IN ACTION NEAR CAROLINA, SOUTH AFRICA 16TH OCTOBER 1900/ WHILST TRYING TO SAVE/ THE LIFE OF A WOUNDED TROOPER/ HIS COMMANDING OFFICER WROTE OF HIM/ "THERE WAS NOT AN OFFICER OR MAN IN THE REGIMENT WHO DID NOT LOVE HIM"/ THIS TABLET WAS PLACED HERE BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND ARTILLERY MILITIA AUGUST 1901".
* brass plaque insctribed "!BOROUGH OF BERWICK UPON TWEED/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION OF THE/ VOLUNTARY SERVICES RENDERED IN/ SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE BOER WAR/ 1899 - 1902, BY THE UNDERNAMED CITIZENS/ OF THIS ANCIENT AND LOYAL BOROUGH/ (NAMES)/ "DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI". (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)
The church of the Holy Trinity at Berwick upon Tweed was built between 1648-1652. It is one of only a very few churches built in the Civil War/ Commonwealth. The architect was John Young of London; who was "supervised" by the Governor of Berwick, George Fenwick. It is a mix of gothic and classical styles, with no tower: there is an unverified tradition that Cromwell personally vetoed the idea of having a tower whilst on a visit to the town. It originally featured a gallery on all four sides of the interior, only the west gallery is now extant. Some elements, the chancel and western turrets, were added in the 19th century. (14a)
The website of this church notes that the Governor, Fenwick had interests in the Americas and founded the Saybrook community in Connecticut. The church has strong historical connections to the Coldstream Guards, who were originally formed in 1650 as Monk's Regiment of Foot: one of the early officers was Fenwick. (14b)
General association with HER 4136 (Church of the Holy Trinity). (14)
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1648-52. (2)
In normal use. (3)
840 WALLACE GREEN
I Church of Holy Trinity
NU 0053 11/220 1.8.52
Of exceptional interest because of its rare date. Built 1648-52 by a London mason, with details comparable with St Katherine Cree. No tower. Chancel added in 1855, also clerestory windows. Arcade of five bays with round arches on round Tuscan columns. Jacobean West gallery and pulpit. Reredos in an early work by Lutyens.
Gatepiers at the Church of Holy Trinity. Grade II 2. Gatepiers in churchyard of Church of Holy Trinity. (4)
Parish church. Completed by 1653 to design by John Young, mason, of Blackfriars, London. He signed in 1649/50 (i.e. first three month of 1650) the contract to build the church `conforme to his Moddell or draught'. Style a mixture of classical and Gothic reminiscent of the 1628-31 St Katherine Cree in the City of London; (Colvin 1136). Addition of chancel and other alterations, especially to windows, in 1855, but Fuller's illustration of 1799 (1799: 183) shows very clearly that at that date alternate clerestory windows were Venetian (was that artistic licence or fact?) and there was by then, and perhaps always had been, the Doric west doorcase. Late 19th century alterations to west towers. Ashlar; roof not visible. Chancel and 5-bay aisled nave. Large Venetian East and West windows of 1855, replacing Gothic originals of which west window is seen and both are described in Fuller (1799: 185); tripartite aisle windows with raised central lights were at the same time rounded to make Venetian windows, as were perhaps alternate clerestory windows if the Fuller illustration is unreliable in that respect. Battlemented aisle parapets are 16th century. Pedimented Doric doorcase to round-arched panelled west door; south door in keyed arched panel below central aisle window. West turrets on aisles have octagonal arcades and ogee domes with slender cross finials, replacing smaller simple turrets with spires.
Interior has Tuscan arcades, the N now partly filled with wood-panelled screen for a parish room, and much richly-carved woodwork of Bishop Cosin school including west screen and gallery. 17th century pulpit, the tester restored, and 17th century panels incorporated into 19th century choir stalls. Reredos of 1893 by Edwin Lutyens in delicate classical style allowing West window to be seen through it. A very important church in itself but added significance because it was built during the Commonwealth, one of very few churches of that period (Pevsner and Richmond 1992: 171-172). Recommended as grade I. (5)
Church contains a series of war memorials as:
* marble wall-mounted tablet inscribed "SACRED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ LIEUT. EDWARD YOUNGHUSBAND,/ IX REGT. BOMBAY N.I./ WHO NOBLY FELL BEFORE THE WALLS OF/ MOOLTAN/ 27TH DECEMBER 1848./ HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ THUS RECORD THEIR SINCERE GRIEF FOR THE LOSS/ OF A MOST WARM FRIEND/ AND GALLANT OFFICER".
* white mabrle tablet inscribed "IN MEMORY OF/ GEORGE AUSTIN PATERSON YOUNGHUSBAND/ LIEUTENANT 13TH REGIMENT BOMBAY N.I./ AND ADJUTANT 5TH REGIMENT PUNJAB IRREGULAR CAVALRY,/ WHO WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED IN ACTION NEAR FUTTEGHUR,/ ON THE 2ND OF JANUARY 1858/ AND DIED TWO DAYS AFTERWARDS./ ERECTED AS A TOKEN OF THEIR SINCERE REGARD/ BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ OF THE 13TH REGIMENT BOMBAY N.I."
* plaque inscribed "TO THE MEMORY OF/ JOHN MAITLAND FORSTER, R.N./ SON OF/ MAJOR GENERAL BOWES FORSTER/ AND GRANDSON OF/ GENERAL SIR PEREGRINE MAITLAND G.C.M./ WHO FELL IN ACTION ON BOARD H.M. SHIP/ BELLEROPHONE, 84 GUNS, ON 17TH OCTOBER/ 1854/ DURING THE ATTACK OF THE COMBINED FLEETS/ OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AGAINST/ SEBASTOPOL./ UNIVERSALLY LOVED AND LAMENTED/ BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM/ AGED 16 YEARS."
* reredos panelling and communion rails inscribed "TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WARS 1914 - 1918, 1939 - 1945".
* brass plaque inscribed "IN MUCH LOVE/ MAC ROBERTSON/ LIEUT. 70TH BATTERY 34TH BRIGADE ROYAL FIELD/ ARTILLERY SON OF DR. J.R.S. ROBERTSON/ GRANDSON OF ALEXANDER ROBERTSON J.P. AND/ EDMUND MACRORY K.C. BORN 29TH MAY 1891 AND KILLED/ IN ACTION AT FESTUBERT FRANCE 22ND MAY 1915/ "LIFE - NOT DEATH"/ "WHO DIES IF ENGLAND LIVE?".
* brass plaque inscribed "DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI/ TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF/ JOHN ALEXANDER TOWER ROBERTSON/ ONLY SON OF ALEXANDER TOWER ROBERTSON, D.L./ (TWEEDMOUTH HOUSE, BERWICK ON TWEED)/ LIEUTENANT INDIAN ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS/ ATTACHED TO 2/3 Q.A.O. GURKHA RIFLES/ LOST AT SEA 30TH DECEMBER 1915/ BY THE TORPEDOING OF S.S. "PERSIA"/ WHEN ON HIS WAY TO REJOIN HIS REGIMENT AFTER SERVICE IN FRANCE/ AGED 29 YEARS".
* brass plaque inscribed "IN MEMORY OF/ ARTHUR WILLIAM SWANSTON/ OF MARSHALL MEADOWS/ LIEUTENANT 6TH INNISKILLIN DRAGOONS/ FORMERLY OF NORTHUMBERLAND ARTILLERY MILITIA/ KILLED IN ACTION NEAR CAROLINA, SOUTH AFRICA 16TH OCTOBER 1900/ WHILST TRYING TO SAVE/ THE LIFE OF A WOUNDED TROOPER/ HIS COMMANDING OFFICER WROTE OF HIM/ "THERE WAS NOT AN OFFICER OR MAN IN THE REGIMENT WHO DID NOT LOVE HIM"/ THIS TABLET WAS PLACED HERE BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND ARTILLERY MILITIA AUGUST 1901".
* brass plaque insctribed "!BOROUGH OF BERWICK UPON TWEED/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION OF THE/ VOLUNTARY SERVICES RENDERED IN/ SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE BOER WAR/ 1899 - 1902, BY THE UNDERNAMED CITIZENS/ OF THIS ANCIENT AND LOYAL BOROUGH/ (NAMES)/ "DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI". (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)
The church of the Holy Trinity at Berwick upon Tweed was built between 1648-1652. It is one of only a very few churches built in the Civil War/ Commonwealth. The architect was John Young of London; who was "supervised" by the Governor of Berwick, George Fenwick. It is a mix of gothic and classical styles, with no tower: there is an unverified tradition that Cromwell personally vetoed the idea of having a tower whilst on a visit to the town. It originally featured a gallery on all four sides of the interior, only the west gallery is now extant. Some elements, the chancel and western turrets, were added in the 19th century. (14a)
The website of this church notes that the Governor, Fenwick had interests in the Americas and founded the Saybrook community in Connecticut. The church has strong historical connections to the Coldstream Guards, who were originally formed in 1650 as Monk's Regiment of Foot: one of the early officers was Fenwick. (14b)
General association with HER 4136 (Church of the Holy Trinity). (14)
N4132
Post Medieval (1540 to 1901)
Early 20th Century (1901 to 1932)
Early 20th Century (1901 to 1932)
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1967; ANK
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1967; A N King
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1967; A N King
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Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.