Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Rise, Tulse Hill, (Architectural Competition)
Holy Trinity Church was built on land provided from the estate of Jonah Cresingham, in accordance with petitions made between 1854 – 1856 and granted by the Bishop of Southwark. Despite some objection from local clerics, the founding of Holy Trinity Church was important to the original developers of the area as it helped to establish the new estate of Tulse Hill and created a new parish. Standing high on the hill, Holy Trinity makes an imposing local landmark with its spire rising above the tree tops, clearly visible from far around, particularly from Brockwell Hall and various vantage points within the park itself. The Church was consecrated in 1856 and is described in Clarke’s Parish Churches of London – as being built in a “decadent fourteenth century style with squeezed up windows and too much naturalistic foliage.”
NEW CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, TULSE-HILL - The designs of Mr. T. D. Barry have been selected. There were seventeen competitors. Messrs. Rowland and Evans have contracted for the whole work, at the sum of £7,590. [Builder 28 October 1854 page 564]
LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, TULSE-HILL, NORWOOD - For some time the inhabitants of Tulse-hill and vicinity have greatly felt the want of church accommodation; to provide which a public subscription has been opened, and the first stone of a new edifice was laid on Thursday week by Sir Charles Decimus Crosley, Sheriff of London and Middlesex. ….
The Church, which is in the Early Geometric Decorated style consists of chancel, with apsidal end; nave, north and south transepts; tower and spire at the north-west angle of the north transept-spire 88 feet high. The Church is designed to seat 1000 adults. An organ-gallery is also provided at the west end. The principal entrance will be on the north side, through the tower door, which will be divided by a stone shaft into two compartments, with heads of tracery, the intermediate spandril being filled with carved diaper-work. The windows are richly traceried, each being a distinct and original design. The prevailing form adopted in all the tracery is the trefoil, the church being dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The belfry of the tower contains on each side three deeply-moulded and recessed windows of one light, the heads being trefoliated, and the hollow mouldings in jambs-heads being filled with the dogtooth ornament. From an effective cornice, having carved gargoyles at the angles, rises the massive broach spire, with suitable lucarnes, or spire lights surmounted with a suitable wrought-iron vane.
Internally the Church will be covered with a roof of one span (it being desired than no pillars or internal support should exist), the principal timbers stopping upon moulded and carved stone brackets. The roofs will be open with ceiling between the rafters and boarding to receive the slates. The chancel arch will be richly moulded. The pulpit and desk will be of carved oak, and the font of Caen stone, richly carved. The walls are to be built of stock brick, faced with Kentish rag-stone, and all the dressed masonry will be Corsham-down Bath stone. The foundations are concreted throughout. The parsonage will be of the Early Domestic English style. The total cost of both Church and parsonage, including complete fittings drainage, fencing, warm water apparatus, gas lighting, and every expense, will be £7500, Taking into consideration the great size, substantial workmanship, and architectural pretensions of the Church and parsonage, and the distance from town, this will probably be the cheapest work of the kind ever erected in the neighbourhood of London. The whole has been designed by, and is being carried out under the superintendence of, Mr. Thomas D. Barry, of 15, Lincoln's-inn-fields, and Liverpool. [Illustrated London News 12 May 1855 page 460]
NEW CHURCH AT NORWOOD - The foundation stone of Holy Trinity Church, Tulse-Hill, Norwood, was laid on Thursday before last, by Sir C. D. Crosley, Knt. sheriff of London and Middlesex [Builder 19 May 1855 page 231]
TRINITY CHURCH, TULSE HILL - On Tuesday before last the church recently erected on Tulse Hill was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester. The church is in the geometrical Decorated style, after a design by Mr. Barry of Liverpool. The spire rises to a height of 170 feet. The roof, 105 feet long, is in one span of 55 feet 6 inches, resting entirely upon the outer walls. The church has north and south transepts, with galleries above them, and is capable of seating 1000 persons. 'The edifice, with the adjoining parsonage, has been built at a cost of rather less than £8000. [Builder 16 February 1856 page 92]
Reference Builder 28 October 1854 page 564
Reference Illustrated London News 12 May 1855 page 460 with illustration
Reference Builder 19 May 1855 page 231
Reference Builder 16 February 1856 page 92