Holy Trinity Church, Prestwood

The church was designed by Edward Buckton Lamb, broadly in the late Decorated style of the Gothic Revival, and influenced by Tractarian theology. The material was local flint and mortar and Denner Hill sandstone, with Bath Stone dressings. Lamb's original designs drew some criticism (particularly the unusual feature of a chancel at both the east and west ends) and were quite extensively reworked. The nave of the realised church is 32 feet long and 15½ wide with a high, narrow, triple-chamfered chancel arch at each end. The nave arcades have three arches: two eleven feet wide, and squat, and a third, by the chancel, a mere three feet wide; they sit on octagonal pillars six feet high. The narrowest arches give access from the chancel to the stone pulpit. There is a clerestory characterised by stained glass windows, at least some of which were designed by Lamb and which serve more for decoration than to admit light. Over the west gable of the nave there is a bell-cote rising to 50 feet and containing a single bell founded in 1849. Pews extend from the nave into the aisles; in the original plan of the church, these could seat up to 246 people. The roof-tiles were mounted on wooden battens which originally formed the church ceiling, while heating was provided by three stoves. Rainwater from the roof was piped into a tank near the original vicarage to provide water.^[6]

Concluding that the design of the building was grander than its proportions really warranted, D. J. Keen opined that 'it might be said that the building was never intended to be filled with life-sized people at all'.^[6]

1884 saw some significant alterations to the chancel by the Reverend H. M. Wells, at his own expense, raising the low roofline five feet, almost as high as the nave, replacing the low, ornately carved ceiling with a barrel roof of seven cants with carved Tudor rose bosses. Wells's wife gave the church a mosaic reredos, while his daughters donated two large wrought iron and brass candelabras. In 1891 the parish bought a new organ, installing it in the place of one of the choir stalls. For the church's golden jubilee in 1899, the organist (and headmaster of the church school) W. H. Pitt carved a gothic frame for the reredos and hanging oil lamps were introduced. Central heating was added in 1905. The cramped pews were replaced in 1920, reducing the seating capacity to 181. The oil lamps were replaced with electric lighting in 1930. The original nave ceiling was covered first in matchboarding and, in the twentieth century, plaster.^[6]

In 1961-62 major restorations were conducted, principally focusing on replacing most of the roofing and the central heating system.^[6]

51°41′20″N 0°44′13″W / 51.689°N 0.737°W / 51.689; -0.737