The Holy Trinity

MATERIALS: Squared sandstone, with rubble stone to the nave and chancel, tile roofs.

The tower projects in front of the nave west wall, which has a C12 doorway relocated here in 1831 from the north wall when the aisle was built.

Above it is a C19 4-light Perpendicular window that appears to have replaced C13 lancet windows.

On its left side one C13 window, with billet frieze on the label, has survived (another is visible internally, blocked by the tower).

The south aisle has three 2-light Decorated windows of 1869 and pair of C13 cusped lights in the east wall, which are offset from the centre and show that the aisle was originally narrower.

The aisle was extended westwards in ashlar in 1836 by building a 2-bay buttressed Tudor-Gothic school room with moulded eaves cornice.

Its west front comprises 3-light Perpendicular window over a studded door under a square label, with carved spandrels, and is intended to balance the tower on the south side of the nave.

INTERIOR: The tower has C15 north and east arches with continuous hollow mouldings and semi-circular responds.

The embrasure of a C13 west window is obscured by the stair turret.

The 3-bay late C12 south arcade has round piers, scalloped capitals and stepped round arches.

The nave roof is mostly medieval work but was restored in the C19, and includes richly carved beams and braces.

Nave and aisle floors have stone paving, black and red tiles, and grave slabs in the nave of the period 1700-1845.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The plain round font bowl is on a stem of 4 clustered shafts, and is possibly C13.

Also of this date is the panel pulpit on a stone base.

Choir stalls were designed by Walter and Florence Camm and made in 1925 by R. Bridgeman & Sons of Lichfield, and also have fielded panels to ends and fronts, while 2 have misericords.

In the north aisle is a Hanoverian Royal Arms of the C18.

The chief memorial is a large Jacobean wall monument in the chancel to John Hanford , probably by Samuel Baldwin.

Several windows have stained glass.

The same firm made the south-west chancel window showing St Cecilia, but incorporating C14 fragments, in 1937, and the Annunciation in the south aisle east window, of 1929.

HISTORY: The church has a C12 core of nave, south aisle and chancel.

The tower was added in the C15.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The church of the Holy Trinity, Eckington, is listed at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * It has surviving C12 work of special interest, including nave arcade and south doorway. * It has later medieval work of interest, including the tower and the nave roof. * It has fixtures of special interest including a large Jacobean monument, C18 memorials and Royal Arms.