HOLY TRINITY, BROMPTON, is a church beautiful for situation. One cannot
fail to be struck by the sudden change from town to country experienced
on entering the long and pretty avenue by which it is approached, and in
the perspective of which the vestry-door overgrown with ivy is seen. We
know of no other church in the metropolitan suburbs thus entered, and
which has all disturbing sights and sounds so effectually shut out. The
church cannot be said to be beautiful as a Gothic structure, being of
plain brick and stone, but in these days we are so spoilt that nothing
seems to satisfy us; yet we must not forget that the church was built
when Gothic architecture was not much studied and but little appreciated,
so that, added to its woodland effect, it is only a wonder that it is
Gothic at all. Then, too, Professor Donaldson was the architect, who is
now almost the father of his profession, and as such revered and
respected by all. The church has undergone very considerable alteration
with regard to the interior. The old high pewing has been substituted by
low oak pewing of good design. A very handsome font has been added, and
three sides of the bowl are ornamented with well-cut diaper and the side
towards the nave is occupied by a panel in relief, containing the
appropriate figure of Jesus receiving little children. The stem is
formed of stout shafts of polished marble, and the foliated caps are
freely executed. A rose window in the east wall of the south gallery is
a good feature added a few years since. Some of the windows have been
filled with stained glass; the font and rose windows are from designs by
Mr. E. C. Hakewill. The interior effect is very heavy, owing to the
flatness of the nave ceiling and the galleries which surround three sides
of the church; but much evidently has been done to relieve this,
especially with the exposed timbers of the aisle roofs. The plan of the
church consists of a nave and aisles and a recess for the chancel at the
east end, with a vestry. The tower is at the west end, the space of
which is occupied by the organ.
Holy Trinity was consecrated on June 6, 1829, being a district church in
that part of the old parish of Kensington known as Brompton. Since then
great changes have come over the district of South Kensington, which
includes, Brompton. Those who knew it only then would scarcely recognise
it now. Wide open space has been converted into long streets and roads,
nay, a city of palaces, under the magic touch of capitalists and builders
like Mr. Freake and others. The former gentleman still lives, and
happily continues his labours and enterprise in the neighbourhood; and,
as though it were to remind us of the fact, as we approached the church
on Sunday morning, the first thing that caught our eye was a handbill
upon the board at the entrance convening a meeting for Thursday evening,
to consider a generous offer of that gentleman to build an infant-school
at his own cost on a piece of vacant ground in the churchyard, and
present it to the district. The consent of the parishioners was needed
to the use of this land for such a purpose, and of course it was readily
given. As we are upon the subject of schools, it may at once be stated
that there are connected with the church, national schools, which were
established in 1842 in the Brompton-road, a school library, and evening
classes for young men. There are, also, infant schools, and a
Sunday-school, held only in the afternoon from 2.30. The church will
accommodate about 1,500 persons, and from 300 to 400 sittings are free.
In proportion as the external appearance of that now fashionable suburb
has changed, the interior has been transformed. When the late vicar, Dr.
Irons, was appointed to it thirty years ago he found, as above intimated,
the old style of pew and the old style of everything. There was no
organ-loft or stained window, or noticeable pulpit or chancel. But under
his energetic and active measures—at a cost of upwards of 3,000_l._—the
interior became entirely modernised. During the greater part of his time
his ministry was popular, and the church filled; so that he had only to
ask and to have. But there was this peculiarity about his character and
relations with the district—he was in himself, by training and connexion
with Oxford, essentially _High Church_, but experience taught him that
the principal elements composing his congregation would not admit of the
development of his sympathies with Ritualism. He was wise enough to
regard this circumstance, and aimed at establishing a medium—a modified
form of High Churchism—as a compromise between himself and the people.
As all half-done things are sure to create misunderstanding and
ultimately to alienate some of both sides, the case of Dr. Irons was no
exception to the rule. Despite his great pulpit talent and distinguished
learning, the congregations declined; and about two years ago he retired
to a quiet country living in Lincolnshire.
The present Vicar, the Rev. Thomas Fraser Stooks, M.A. (Cambridge),
Prebendary of St. Paul’s, and Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of London, has
not, to the present time, succeeded in refilling the church. On Sunday
morning last it was thinly attended, but we remembered it was a wet
morning. We are, however, informed by a constant attendant that it was
quite an average congregation. In that case the church is considerably
behind the general run of suburban churches as to the numbers attending
it. But since this statement appeared in the _Suburban Press_ it is but
right to say that the editor has received the following from the Rev. W
Conybeare Bruce: “While fully admitting that, owing to a variety of
causes, into which it is not our place to enter here, our church is at
present ‘considerably behind the general run of suburban churches as to
the numbers attending it,’ I must, with the leave of a ‘Constant
Attendant,’ distinctly state that the congregation on that particular
Sunday was decidedly and evidently _below_ the average. This is a point
on which I cannot be mistaken as it is my habit to take special notice of
the numbers of each congregation. You may, Sir, also accept it as a
fact, on which I am sure you will congratulate us, that our congregations
have increased, slowly but perceptibly, since the present Vicar’s
accession.”
The Rev. Mr. Stooks has, it appears, taken his stand upon the question of
the services. He will have no intoning, increase of singing, or
excessive ritual. With High Churchism he has no compromise; and in so
far is still wiser than his predecessor. The prayers are read and the
responses said, and the only touches of formality are on entering the
Communion, when an Introit is sung, and in the passage to the pulpit,
which is illuminated by the following of a gold-laced church beadle,
bearing a massive silver-mounted staff on his shoulder. The clergy, too,
in addition to the surplice, wear rather a showy collegiate hood. It is
in one of a bright violet colour, and in another a rich crimson, and in a
third black silk trimmed with fur. The violet hood marks an Associate of
King’s College, the crimson is the Oxford M.A. hood, and the black silk
trimmed with white fur is the Oxford B.A. hood. The organist, H. Lahee,
Esq., did his work well, but was unassisted by anything in the shape of
an effective choir. There are three curates—among whom the Vicar himself
did not appear on the occasion of our visit (April 16th). The Rev.
Nathaniel Liberty read the prayers, the Litany, and the Epistle very
devoutly, but a little more power of voice would have made it still more
impressive. The Rev. W. Conybeare Bruce, B.A., read the first lesson,
and the Rev. John Bliss, M.A., Senior Curate, read and preached the
sermon. The text was John xx. and 20th verse: “Then were the disciples
glad when they saw the Lord.” A beautiful text and seasonable, and
commented upon with piety and Christian feeling.
At this church there are three general services on Sunday, at 11 A.M., 4
and 7 P.M., and Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday at 8 A.M., and
at midday. On week-days—morning and evening prayer daily at 8 and 5.
Litany on Wednesdays and Fridays at 12. On holy days celebration of Holy
Communion and an address, at 12. The hymn-book used is “Hymns for Public
Worship,” published under the direction of a Committee of the Religious
Tract Society. The church, since the abolition of church-rates, is
supported entirely by the pew rents, offertory, collections, and
subscriptions. The first source of income is appropriated for the clergy
exclusively; one reason, assuredly, why the pews should be well occupied.
The income from other sources is applied for the maintenance of the
church, its services and accessories. Brompton is a fine field for
Christian labour; and situated as Holy Trinity is, in the midst of a vast
population composed of all classes, from the higher to the lower, and at
the very next door to the Roman Catholic _Oratory_ and the South
Kensington Museum, it may—we hope it will—revive to an extent which will
make it a centre of light and true religion influence to all around.