The Holy Trinity

early-C14 upper stages of the tower

late-C15 chancel

The C15 four-centred arched doorway has a C15 door with Perpendicular tracery

To the side elevations are lancet windows, and to the east side of the south transept is a lateral stack with a C19 monument to its base

five-bay chancel is articulated by offset buttresses which rise to form diagonal shafts carved with blind tracery with decorative hoodmoulds

each surmounted by a gargoyle

The diagonal, offset buttresses to the east end have C21 gargoyles and crocketted pinnacles

To the south side of the chancel is the C15 priest’s door with four-centred arched head and restored tracery

The west window of the north aisle is interrupted by the C15 two-storied north porch

This has a moulded plinth with carved quatrefoils and substantial offset diagonal buttresses

The central C17 battened and studded north door is set within a two-centred arch of three orders with a three-light traceried window above with flanking niches

The lower stage of the tower has small, early-C13, round-headed windows

There are C13 two-light belfry windows to the middle stage

C14 rose windows to the upper stage

INTERIOR: the north entrance leads into the late-C15 north porch which has a rib vaulted ceiling with angel corbels to the four corners and a central boss depicting Christ in Majesty (mutilated at the time of the Reformation). There are the mutilated remains of a holy water stoup to each of the four corners of the porch

inner doors are late C15

with linenfold and traceried panels and a C13 sanctuary knocker

The nave has a five-bay arcade of early-C14 hexagonal piers with moulded capitals and double-chamfered two-centred arches

The spandrels have blind arcading with cusped heads, with the late-C15 arcade of clerestory windows above

Cluster wall shafts run from the carved angel corbels above each pier to the brattished corbels that support the nave roof

The restored C15 roof comprises moulded principal rafters and ties beams with traceried arch braces, and the panelled ceiling is decorated with bosses

At the west end of the nave is the C19 font

replica of the medieval font in the chancel

at the east end is a dark green Italian marble pulpit with figures in white alabaster by Bodley and Garner (1900). Above the crossing arch is a Gothic organ case

SP2054 : Stratford-Upon-Avon, Holy Trinity Church: The green marble pulpit erected in 1900

© Michael Garlick

At the south-east corner of the nave is a stair turret to the belfry, with a Perpendicular door and the remnants of medieval wall painting

The chest tomb on the east wall is to Hugh Clopton’s eldest daughter Joyce, and her husband Thomas Carew, who was King James I’s Master of Ordnance and comprises two recumbent effigies under a coffered round arch with flanking Corinthian columns supporting angels, and the coats of arms above

Clopton Chapel inside "Shakespeare's Church" - Hugh Clopton was a benefactor to the town of Stratford and was also a Lord Mayor of London. www.stratford-upon-avon.org

© Colin Smith

The north window of the chapel contains fragments of medieval glass

The south aisle has a C14 roof of moulded beams supported on corbel heads

It has a C19 rib vaulted ceiling with gilded Green Man corbels and a central boss of the Holy Trinity, from which hangs an early-C18 chandelier

medieval rood screen has been relocated to the north transept (to shield the choir vestry)

carved heads that have been applied to it are the ceiling bosses from the original C13 chancel roof

The heavily restored C15 rood screen has tracery heads and vine-leaf cornice and brattishing

The chancel has a hammer beam roof with carved angels and shields, supported on corbel heads

The east window is flanked by C15 niches with insect-form corbels and crocketted hoods

but the seats with carved angels on the ends of the armrests and richly-carved misericords with a range of domestic scenes

mythical beasts and foliate motifs are late C15

The north door, now blocked externally, has an elaborately carved hoodmould showing St Christopher with the infant Jesus on the left and the Resurrection on the right

To the left of the door is the mutilated medieval font

The piscina and sedilia to the left have elaborately carved canopies with ogee arches and crocketted finials

Underneath the two canopies to the left are carved Tudor roses

whilst that to the right has a carved head of Christ or the vernicle

Beneath the sedilia and the piscina are carved busts of angels

The brass altar rail is C19

The monument to Shakespeare is on the north wall of the chancel and is attributed to Gheerart Janssen of Southwark

It comprises a demi-figure of Shakespeare set within an aedicule with coffered round arch and Corinthian columns

There are many other good C16, C17, C18 and C19 wall tablets and ledger stones throughout, as well as a First World War memorial plaque in the south transept engraved with a poem by Rudyard Kipling