Holy Trinity, Brook Green

Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church in Hammersmith, London W6. Its building is Grade II* listed[1]

Holy Trinity Church
Location41 Brook Green, Hammersmith, London W6
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewww.holytrinityw6.org
History
StatusParish church
DedicationHoly Trinity
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated14 February 1985
Architect(s)William Wardell, with spire by Joseph Hansom
StyleGothic Revival
Years built1851–53, 1867 or 1871
Groundbreaking1851 by Cardinal Wiseman
Completed1853
Construction cost£20,000
Specifications
Number of towers1
Administration
Parishragstone
ArchdioceseWestminster
Clergy
Priest(s)Fr Richard Andrew
Assistant priest(s)Fr Ivano Millico

History and architecture

Cardinal Wiseman donated the land on which to build the church, and on 6 May 1851 he laid the foundation stone. It is built of Kentish ragstone and cost about £20,000 to complete. Helen, Countess Tasker, a benefactor of several Roman Catholic church and school projects, gave £4,000. The church was opened on 26 July 1853.[2]

The architect was William Wardell, who designed the church in a Gothic Revival rendition of Decorated Gothic. It has north and south side aisles and the nave is lit by a clerestory. The nave and chancel have arch-braced roofs. The building has stained glass windows by John Hardman.[2]

From the beginning, Holy Trinity served a growing Catholic community in the area, initially boosted by the Irish mass migrations to Great Britain.

In 1862 a school for girls and infants was built behind the church to designs by Joseph John Scoles. In 1894 the children were transferred to the nearby Sacred Heart School and the former school building became the parish rooms.[2]

The church has a southwest tower, with a spire that was added later. Sources disagree as to whether the spire was added in 1867 or 1871.[2] Most sources agree that it was designed by Joseph Hansom,[1][3] although Nikolaus Pevsner originally attributed it to his brother Charles Francis Hansom.[2]

The present presbytery was completed in 1964.[2]

Holy Trinity today
Inside the church, looking east to the chancel

Today Holy Trinity serves an ethnically diverse parish as the demographics of the parish change. There is a sizable French-speaking population because the church is near the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in nearby South Kensington.[4] It is also used by the Syriac Catholic Church, who hold Mass here in Arabic and Aramaic on Sunday afternoons.[3]

See also

References
  1. Historic England, "Church of Holy Trinity  (Grade II*) (1079845)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 31 August 2014
  2. "Brook Green – Holy Trinity". Taking Stock. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. "Holy Trinity Brook Green Booklet" (PDF). Holy Trinity W6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  4. "History of the Church". holytrinityw6.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2017.

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