TRINITY CHURCH

Church Street, Ossett, WF5 9DW

Contact: Rev Paul Maybury

Tel: 01924 263497 Email: office@trinityossett.org.uk

Trinity Church, Ossett has one of the highest spires in Yorkshire (230 feet) and can be seen for 10 miles around. The Bishop of Ripon likened the building to “a miniature cathedral” at its consecration in 1865. The stained glass is particularly impressive and the reason why the building is graded 11*.

Built from Yorkshire stone, the church takes the form of a Roman cross measuring 145ft in length and 56ft in width internally, with transepts 11ft in depth. The height of the nave from floor to roof ridge is 67ft. The nave arcade shafts are of alternate red and blue polished Aberdeen granite surmounted by richly carved capitals. Seating was provided for 1,000.

Stained glass features in all the windows except those of the nave clerestory. Messrs O’Connor of London, leading 19th-century exponents of the art were responsible for both the East Window of the crucifixion and the descent from the cross (gifted by Benjamin Ingham of Palermo) and the West Window of events subsequent to the Resurrection (funded by the Whitaker family of Ossett). Messrs Clayton and Bell produced the north transept window depicting the Annunciation to the Shepherds, along with those at the western ends of the two nave aisles. The great south transept window contains scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, whilst the nave aisle windows detail events from both the Old Testament (south aisle) and the New Testament (north aisle). The octagonal pulpit adorned with images of the four Evangelists and St Paul, the carved reredos depicting the Last Supper, and the circular font bearing the emblems of the Gospel writers were crafted in Caen stone.

The north transept houses the organ. Built by Isaac Abbott of Leeds in 1886 and rebuilt by Abbott and Smith in 1927 it was partially restored in 2000/01. The central tower originally housed eight bells gifted by Benjamin Ingham and Mrs Joshua Whitaker and cast, at a cost of £800, by John Taylor and Company of Loughborough in 1864. These same bells were recast by their founders in 1934 and rededicated as part of a new ten bell peal. A four-faced clock, funded by public subscription, was installed in the tower in 1866.

In 1989, at a cost of £120,000, the Centre was built in the grounds. In 1996 the church building was awarded a Grade II listing, elevated to Grade II* in 1998, which now puts it among the top 6% of listed buildings nationwide.

In 2001 English Heritage granted £190,000 towards the renewal of two-thirds of the roof slates. Thanks to this and associated improvements the building was removed from the English Heritage ‘at risk’ register in 2003. Since then all of the roofs have been replaced, along with all the ceilings. Repairs to the windows and walls have taken place and later in 2008 it is planned to install underfloor heating and reorder the inside so that the building can be used every day of the week and better serve both the local and regional community.

In recent years the building has undergone significant restoration and is home to a thriving and eclectic Christian community.

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