Casterton: Holy Trinity

Name:
Casterton: Holy Trinity
Record Type:
Church
Church code:
607224
Diocese:
Carlisle
Archdeaconry:
Westmorland & Furness
Parish:
Kirkby Lonsdale

Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?
This is a Grade II Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?
There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

The church is in the following National Park: West Yorkshire Dales

Conservation Area

The church is not in a Conservation Area

Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?
This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
 

Approximate Date

Approximate Date:
Post Medieval

Exterior Image

Exterior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton
Caption:
Exterior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton
Description:
Photograph showing the outside of the church.
Year / Date:
2008
Copyright:
Ian Hamilton
Originator:
Ian Hamilton

Summary Description

Built in 1833 and ‘intended for the School and the Community’, Holy Trinity owes its existence to the Reverend William Carus-Wilson, the founder of the Clergy Daughters’ School; now Casterton, Sedbergh Preparatory School. It is Casterton’s parish church and is used by the school for collective worship as well as for concerts. The church is central to the spiritual, social and educational life of the village, featuring in greetings cards, guidebooks and tourist maps. The addition of a lofty chancel around 1830 provided an unusual architectural feature. This enhances the building’s excellent acoustics, making it ideal for choral services, concerts and recordings. The absence of pillars, the installation of a performance platform and an excellent sound system, including an induction loop, add to this facility. Nicholas Pevsner writes in detail about the late Victorian wall paintings and the stained glass windows executed by Henry Holiday and James Clarke R.A. Parts of the elaborate neo-gothic tracery designed by Holiday, but sadly painted over, were disclosed by eminent conservators Sally Woodcock, Tobit Curteis and David Everingham. These features attract visitors, including Arts and Crafts enthusiasts, from far and wide. Our conservators emphasised, in their report, the need to preserve the condition of the paintings through judicious ventilation and the even temperature. This has been achieved with a modern gas boiler acquired through public subscription, which provides an efficient heating system.

Visiting and Facilities

The church is open for worship.
The church is open every day from 10am to 5pm, visitors are always welcome. Concerts, lunchtime recitals and Sedbergh Prep School assemblies take place on a regular basis. They are usually about 30 minutes or so long and do not interfere with access to the church.
 

Church Website

Church Website:
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Sources and Further Information

Ian Hamilton (2008) Exterior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Exterior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton
Ian Hamilton (2008) Interior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Interior image of Holy Trinity, Casterton
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/12380/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church
Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 6 Bells [Archive/Index]
6 Bells