Description

LEEDS

SE3033SW BOAR LANE
714-1/78/54 (North side)
26/09/63 Holy Trinity Church

GV I

Anglican church. 1721-7. By William Etty. Upper tower added
post 1839 by RD Chantrell. Ashlar, roof not visible.
PLAN: rectangular 7 x 3 bay plan with slightly projecting
central entrance bay and 6-stage tower at west end and apse at
east end.
EXTERIOR: south side, facing Boar Lane: double 8-panel doors
in Gibbs surrounds to bays 1 and 7, the doorway in bay 7
false. Fenestration: 2 tiers, the lower round-arched windows
in architraves with keyblocks and alternate triangular and
segmental open pediments and apron below sills, the upper
windows square with eared and shouldered architraves, a 9-pane
frame to far left, the remainder with leaded lights. Giant
Doric pilasters, triglyph frieze, cornice and blocking course
surmounted by flaming urns.
Tower: round-arched belfry window in rusticated surround to
first and 2nd stages, paired corner pilasters, Ionic to first
stage and Corinthian to 2nd, clock at 2nd stage which has
balustrade with urns. The upper 3 diminishing stages in
similar style, the top 2 having concave sides; stone cross at
pinnacle. North side obscured by C20 additions but upper
western window has plain surround.
Left return: main entrance centre has 8-panel double doors,
fanlight over, in round arch with rusticated surround and
keystone; 15-pane fixed-light window above in eared and
shouldered architrave with open triangular pediment on console
brackets; 2 tiers of windows in flanking bays, giant pilasters
as south front, cornice surmounted by open triangular pediment
over centre bay, fronting base of tower. Part-lead drain pipes
in angles of projecting central bay have moulded rainwater
heads and fixing plaques with raised motif of a fleece. Right
return, east end: the apse has a large Venetian window;
flanking windows, cornice, drain pipes as west end.
INTERIOR: 6-bay nave and side aisles, short chancel with
segmental sanctuary. Giant Corinthian columns support shallow
tunnel-vaulted ceiling with plasterwork motifs including Greek
key pattern; original features include panelling to rebate of
inner west doors and dado, pews with carved ends of key and
scroll patterns, reredos carved with swags of fruit and
flowers; pulpit with finely carved and inlaid side panels, the
stairs and access modified, sounding board with inlaid star

pattern on underside.
MEMORIALS: wall memorials include those to James Scott, the
first minister, in the blocked or false south door, west end,
d.1782. He was the nephew of the founder of the church, Henry
Robinson, d.1736, whose Latin memorial is at the centre of the
north side, the Classical surround surmounted by a flaming urn
and winged cherubs below.
Other carved wooden items include the C18 royal arms on the
west wall and a pelican feeding her young on the sill of the
east window.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the design of the building is also attributed
to William Halfpenny (Pevsner); the foundation stone was laid
in 1722, Etty was providing a design and wooden model in 1723
and the building was consecrated by the Archbishop of York on
10 August 1727. The wooden spire was blown down in 1839 and
the upper stages added to the tower. Boar Lane was realigned
and the street frontage rebuilt, 1869-c1875; some
architectural details were probably influenced by the
surviving church.
(Linstrum, D: West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture:
1978-: 376).

Listing NGR: SE3017433411

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Holy Trinity Church, Leeds at Wikipedia
• Holy Trinity Church, Leeds official website
• Wikidata Q15224720

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)