Cambridgeshire Churches

Coates, Holy Trinity

portrait

Holy Trinity sits on the extensive village green of Coates, a Victorian outpost of the small town at Whittlesey. It was built in 1840, in faux-Norman style – a simple basilica built of local yellow bricks, with aisles added later in 1874 and 1890.

Overall, the impression was rather as though a small Victorian train shed had escaped from Peterborough and settled out here to a rural life away from the hustle and bustle of that great railway settlement. And there were some nice details. In the north-east corner sits a strange little stuccoed tower, disproportionately thin for its height. It rises in four stages to a bell-stage with a clock in the south face, and has a red-tiled pyramid roof.

Because the east end of the church sits hard up against the road around the village green, the main entry is through the west, facing the churchyard. The composition of the west end is quite pleasing. The central door is small, but crowned with several layers of moulding. Above it rise three tall round-headed windows, and the whole ensemble is balanced by the two broad aisles on either side. It’s not going to win first prize in any beauty contests, but I quite liked it.

Holy Trinity was locked, and I could find no information about keyholders.

 

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