PADDINGTON - Trinity Church

[Sio]

Hello,

I am wondering if anyone can tell me anything about Trinity Church in Paddington, especially :

Church Denomination
Any website / reference to pictures or history of it
If it is still there (and the address)

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[queenwillow]

I live in the road that the church was on!
Holy Trinity, Bishop's Bridge Rd. Church and Vicarage built partly at expense of John Miles, first Vicar. District formed 1846 from St. Jas.  Patron bp. of London.  Building of Kentish rag with Bath stone dressings in Perp. style, seating c. 1,600,  by Thos. Cundy 1844- 6: short chancel, formed late 19th cent. from E. bays of nave, N. organ chamber and vestry, clerestoried nave with plaster vaults and flat ceilinged aisles. Tall W. tower, on site of reservoir, with pinnacles and octangular crocketted spire, completed after rest of ch.; pinnacled buttresses. Criticized when new for 'misapplied ornament'.  Crypt converted for youth club by 1967. Closed 1971, when svces. moved to community hall recently built by ch. with old people's flats on site of original Vicarage at no. 170 Gloucester Terr. Spire demol. 1972 and rest of bldg. 1984.
As it says Vicar, I'm guessing its C of E.
I didn't move here untill the 1990's , but I will ask my neighbour tomorrow what she remembers.
Will add any more info when I get it

[Sio]

What a stroke of luck! wonderful. I had a feeling it was gone. What a shame. Especially with an octangular spire. The misapplied ornament description is just great!!

[queenwillow]

Reading your other post, the time you are looking at the road was named Bishops Bridge.
The bridge  was recently in the news as they replaced it with a modern one , if you Google 'paddington bridge project' it will give you some info as well as details about the original Brunel bridge that they found there.
170 Gloucester Terrace was where my daughter used to go to Cubs!
There's only 3 places in the road that are modern enough to have replaced the Church , hopefully my neighbour will have more info, failing that I'll pop into the local library on monday and see what they know.
If you want any more local info feel free to message me, I might not answer straight away as the children are home, so I don't get as much time on the computer

[queenwillow]

I've spoken to my neighbour and she says that the church was on Bishops Bridge Road between Gloucester terrace and Eastbourne terrace. Going by the size of the blocks of flats that replaced it, it was huge. I'll try the library on Monday to see if they have any pictures of it.

[Sio]

thanks Must have been big if it seated 1600

[Geoff Botting]

I lived near there from 1983. I distinctly recall the church because it was unbelievable: a massive looming gothic structure that was crumbling and neglected, right in an otherwise busy, cosmopolitan and modern part of London.  It was like a scene from sci-fi movie, it seemed so unreal.
There was a rough green in front of building, ringed by trees. A friend inquired about using the crypt as a rehearsal space for his band, and the vicar was all to happy to let it, although nothing came from it. 
I think I heard the crypt was used in the filming of a music video, "Save it For Later," by the Beat, but who knows?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bM0wVjU2-k

[dawnsh]

Hi Geoff

Welcome to Rootschat  and thanks for posting.

The original topic dates from 2006 but as long as email addresses haven't changed over the years, contributors will receive an email notification that you have posted and hopefully come back soon.

Dawn

[Chris7777]

Hi there,
I know this thread was started 14 years ago but better late than never. I've been collecting photos for before and after, myself or online, around the Paddingdon / Harrow Road area, inspired by the Blue Lamp film and working in Church Street from 2001-15 and passing disapearing buildings everyday on my way to work. Holy Trinity's demise is a sad one but not unlike many other Victorian Churches and Chapels, their general construction responsible for only having a semi shelf life. My Dad was a C of E Vicar, he said when Churches vanish it's usually the recent ones and not the Saxon or Norman ones. The Victorian's were great at elaborate gothic architecture but materals used were cost effect brick and plaster and very little quarried stone, Some stone was used but in key points only. Design was to maximise the effect and show. After 125 years with, probably, very little upkeep and maintanence during the last war, and a postwar decline in parishioners and repair funds many similar churches too slowly slid into decline around the country. I came accross this 45 second clip on Youtube of Holy Trinity being demolished in 1984, yes it's amazing size for a local church, a mini cathedral almost. You can see the use of bricks around the bulldozer. If I find some photo's of Holy Trinity in its glory I will post them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6j--wPXyY

All the best,
Chris.