Church of the Holy Trinity (EHER 1134)

A cruciform church with a central tower at the crossing. Rebuilt by Chancellor in 1868 on the foundations of a 14th century church. It incorporates the 14th century crossing arches on the north, south and west sides. In 1393 Thomas Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester founded a college of nine priests on this site, which was suppressed by Henry VIII. Early in the 18th century Henry Compton Bishop of London built a small nave on the ruins of Gloucester's Church and later in the 18th century a chancel was added.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. The Church of the Holy Trinity, Pleshey north, south and west arches of the central tower and probably the foundations of the north and south transept are around 1400. Church noteworthy for the cruciform plan, connections with the college founded by Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, in 1393, bells of that date and remains of important altar tombs. Tower has modern east arch, others are around 1400, 4 bells are dated to roughly 1400. Remains of altar tombs are approximately dated to 1480-1490, 1460 and 1480. The church was almost entirely rebuilt in the 18th century and again in 1868. One bell is of 1620, a chest is dated to around 1600 and two communion tables are 17th century. <1> The unusual Church plan is due to the foundation of a college of priests here in 1393. (detailed in EHER 82949). There are also 18th century monuments. <2> Site visit, 1954 College and collegiate church here in 1393 by the Duke of Gloucester and his wife. Both were plundered by Henry VIII and given to Sir John Gate who demolished them later. <3> <4> <5> College of canons and new parish church founded by the Duke of Gloucester in the area of the present, mainly 19th century church. The south- west part of the town bailey was altered to form a right-angle and a moated enclosure for the college. <6> The new college-parish church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. In 1498 a chantry was attached to the college. John Gate is said to have pulled down the chancel of the church after 1549 and the rest of the building was bought by the parishioners so they could still have a church. <7> <8> Site Assessment = Drainage works to take place in December 1982-early 1983. <9> Drainage work and making good of the fabric in 1982 revealed reused freestone incorporated in the rubble-approximate position of a doorway shown in a print of the church. Stone chamfered on 2 faces -part of a column. <9> The site of the college (detailed in EHER 82949) occupies a field south of the church, unevenness is indicated buried foundations in 1966. In 1981 it was a ploughed field with no unevenness. Tile and flint in the plough soil. <10> Cropmarks in grass of graveyard to the east of the church. <11> A cruciform church with a central tower at the crossing. Rebuilt by Chancellor in 1868 on the foundations of a 14th century church. It incorporates the 14th century crossing arches on the north, south and west sides. In 1393 Thomas Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester founded a college of nine priests on this site, which was suppressed by Henry VIII. Early in the 18th century Henry Compton Bishop of London built a small nave on the ruins of Gloucester's Church and later in the l8th century a chancel was added. <12> Excavations, 1977 Church is on site of former college-parish church of late medieval times (see 1134). The chancel was pulled down in the 16th century. The building was still in ruins in the early 17th century and in 1641. In 1740 there was no chancel and the communion table was under the steeple, the east end of the church. <13> The church of the Holy Trinity and a college of nine canons was founded by Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, in 1393. It replaced the existing church of St Mary. The church and college stood just outside the south-western corner of the town enclosure. The south-western corner of the enclosure was altered to form a right-angle and a moated enclosure for the college. The church of Holy Trinity is noteworthy for its cruciform plan with central tower. It was largely rebuilt in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, although the north, south and west arches of the central tower and probably the foundations of the north and south transepts are around 1400 in date. The bells also date to the original foundation. In 1498 a chantry was added to the college. The field to the south of the church had in 1966 various low earthworks indicating the site of the college, but these have subsequently been levelled by ploughing. There is a tradition that the field behind the White Horse Public House was a graveyard. Following the Reformation the Church and college were plundered by Henry VIII and given by him to Sir John Gate. He demolished the college and pulled down the chancel of the church shortly after 1549. The rest of the church was purchased by the parishioners of Pleshey in order to secure their place of worship. However the building remained in a ruinous state, and even in 1740 there was still no chancel and the communion table was sited under the central steeple. Following this date the church was largely rebuilt, and further work took place in 1868 when Frederick Chancellor added the southern facade. <14> Resistivity survey, 2001 A resistivity survey (Peter J Cott) in 2001 showed the outlines of rectangular building foundations grouped in the northern half of the field stretching almost to the eastern edge of the plot. The anomaly representing the main building has a separate line, perhaps a wall, on its southern side, possibly a corridor. A rectangular anomaly might be a cloister or the way in which the college was connected to the church. Other walls and garden features. <15> Aerial photograph <16> Original Listing Description: A cruciform church with a central tower at the crossing. Rebuilt by Chancellor in 1868 on the foundations of a 14th century church. It incorporates the 14th century crossing arches on the north, south and west sides. In 1393 Thomas Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester founded a college of nince priests on this site, which was suppressed by Henry VIII. Early in the 18th century Henry Compton Bishop of London built a small nave on the ruins of Gloucester's Church and later in the 18th century a chancel was added. The rebuilding by Chancellor owed much to the generosity of the Tufnell family. There is a wall monument to Sir William Joliffe dated 1749 with cherub heads and urns and a marble monument to Samuel Tufnell dated 1758. Both monuments are attributed to Cheere. There are also the indented tops of two late 15th century altar tombs. (RCHM 2). <16> Listing NGR: TL6632814297 Additional reference <17> <18>