A BRIEF HISTORY OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH NAILSEA

While worship has taken place on this site from time immemorial, the present Holy Trinity Church dates back to the 14^th century, with the majority of the architecture being 15^th century. It was a chapelry of the parish of Wraxall until 1811, when Holy Trinity became a parish in its own right. The church has been a listed building since 1962, with restoration and alterations carried out 1840–1862, 1984–1985, and 2003–2004.

Today you enter the building through the Trinity Centre, built in 1984–1985, and opened by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. A mediaeval symbol of the Trinity is set in the paving outside the entrance. The Trinity Centre replaced the original vestry, and stands on land which was formerly part of the churchyard: it houses most modern facilities at the church, including the administrative offices, kitchen, and function rooms.

From the lobby you enter the church on its north side through a new doorway opened in 2004; the older north door, which was the main entrance from 1985 and led to the vestry before that, is now visible as a window beside this. Originally galleries ran down both sides of the church, a singing gallery spanned the tower at the west, and a rood loft ran the width of the chancel. Seating would have been on high-backed wooden pews, which were replaced by low-backed ones in the 19^th century; these in turn were removed in 2004, and moveable chairs are now used.

The inner walls of the church bear the usual monuments. To the left of the north door is a wall-plate commemorating a legacy from Thomas Jenkins, rector of Backwell, to the poor of Nailsea, above which is a plaque to James Coombs, his wife and daughter. To the right is a plaque to Tobias Hort, who was churchwarden, as were his son and grandson (right). Above the old door you will see a royal coat of arms, and to the right, plaques to Robert Walker and to Stephen Bennett and his wife.

The stained glass window in the north wall was a gift from All Saints Church, Wraxall, in 1894. Its light was blocked by the Trinity Centre, so it was back-lit in 2004. Beyond this lie plaques to John Baily and children (their names, and ages, bear poignant testimony to mortality in the past), to Ralph Vigers, and to Ann, wife of Thomas Tyndall.

The unusual octagonal Caen-stone pulpit, with panels depicting the arms of the Medes of Failand (Richard Mede was Sheriff of Bristol), dates from the 14^th century. It is accessed by a small staircase set into the church wall, entered between pulpit and organ. Originally this staircase branched, with the steps to the right leading to the rood loft; the right branch was blocked off with the installation of the organ.

The figures at the top of the stone pillars either side of the chancel depict the Bull of St Luke and Angel of St Matthew.

The organ stands in what was originally the Nailsea Court Chapel. It was built from parts of the previous organ, and was located by the tower door (to the left of the north entrance) from 1882 until 1974.

The monument high on the left chancel wall is inscribed with a punning poem in memory of six members of the Cole family of Nailsea Court. Below this can be seen the squint, through which the residents of Nailsea Court could view the altar while remaining separate from the congregation.

The original altar was removed in 1550, at the same time as the rood loft, and an oak communion table now serves this purpose. The dais you now see was added in 2004 and is made up of gravestones. The ornate reredos, with its beautifully inscribed text of the Ten Commandments, came from Wraxall Church; the east window was bequeathed by James Coombs in 1878.

There is a piscina (a niche originally used for priests' ablutions and the cleansing of the communion chalice and paten) in the left hand chancel wall, next to a closed-up priest's door, which originally gave the vicar of Wraxall access from the stables.

The area to the right of the chancel was originally the Mede Chapel, which probably had its own altar at some point. This was surrounded by wood panelling, and had a Sunday School gallery above it. The gallery and panelling were removed in 1842; other alterations 1840–1868 included removal of the south aisle gallery, addition of buttresses on the outside wall, replacement of roof beams, and the re-slating and re-leading of the roof.

At that time this area was filled with choir stalls. These were removed in 1981 to allow more space for the increasing number of musicians involved in the services. During the rearrangement of the chancel, involving the addition of a much larger raised platform area, a vault was discovered containing a lead coffin possibly dating from the 18^th century.

The window above this area dates from 1861: it represents the union after the War of the Roses with the Rising Sun of Edward IV. It is made up of fragments from various older windows.

Continuing along the south wall, you will see a second piscina in the wall, which originally served the altar in the Mede Chapel, and above it a plaque to William Bullock and family. The stained glass window here is dedicated to the Revd Frederick Brown and his wife, and next to this is a plaque to Dr William Hinkes, "who practised physick and surgery", and seven members of his family; a tablet to Lt Cdr C E Evans, who restored the Nailsea Court Chapel and also gave the War Memorial, as well as a Deed of Gift towards the upkeep of the churchyard; and above this, a plaque to Major John Nash. The next stained glass window to the west is dedicated to the Revd J Johnson and his wife, and next to this is a plaque to William Shepstone.

The south porch, built in 1712, served as the main entrance to the church until the building of the Trinity Centre, and is roofed with the only tiles in Nailsea known to be from its old quarry. The original wooden door remains—complete, according to local legend, with embedded lead shot fired from within the church! The glass doors were added in 2005, in order to allow the church congregation to see out, and the community to see in, when the external door is open.

Beside the south door is a list of the rectors of the parish, from 1311 to the present day. Despite its title, most of the older names are rectors of Wraxall, to which Holy Trinity was subordinate until 1811.

The octagonal Tudor-style font has panels containing various devices, including the Tudor Rose and Five Wounds. Below the floor next to it is a cross-shaped, blue-lined baptistery added in 2004 for baptisms by immersion. When this was dug out, the remains of a 14^th century cooking-pot were found. The window above this consists of the two side panels originally from the window now on the north wall. The wall plaque is to William Weatherall.

Moving into the tower area, you pass the modern sound-desk which controls the audio and visual presentation of today's services. The stained glass window above the west entrance was given by the Revd Mr Brown in 1861, and was originally located over the chancel. Below and to the left is a plaque to James Yeeles, who presented the Tower Clock in 1873. The door in the wall connects to the stairs leading up into the tower.

The tower houses the bells, first recorded as ringing in 1593, at which time they were rung from the floor of the church. In 1723 the number of bells increased to five and a ringing and singing loft was built. A further floor was built separating the loft and belfry, and the sixth bell was added in 1793. This floor, and the loft itself, were both removed in 1878. Major restoration work took place to the tower in 1903, when a new zinc-covered roof and the four pinnacles and cap were added; the bells themselves were restored in 1924.

This completes our tour of the church. We hope you have enjoyed your time with us.