Church of Holy Trinity

Details

MELDRETH NORTH END TL 3746 (North side) 22/236 Church of Holy Trinity 22.11.67 GV I

Parish church. Mid C12 chancel. c.1200 nave and west tower, C14 fenestration to north wall of nave, C15 south aisle, arcade and porch. Restorations of 1800, 1846, 1870. Limestone and clunch rubblestone. Barnack limestone and clunch dressings (restored with Ketton stone).. Plan of west tower, nave, south aisle and porch, and chancel. West Tower, c.1200. Three stages including the late C13 bell-stage. Three-stage, flat buttresses and blocked parapet on corbel table. Each side of the c.1200 lower stages has a single light window in a two centred arch of two orders the outer on nook shafts with scalloped capitals. Several of the windows have been blocked or restored. Late C13 bell stage has three bay blind arcading of two centred arches to each side. Openings in refoil heads with quatrefoils to spandrel. The nave has embattled parapet and C.15 clerestorey of flint and fieldstone. Each side with five, two light windows in square head. The South aisle C15. Parapetted roof. Four centred arches and vertical tracery to four large windows each with three cinquefoil lights. South porch of similar date. Two centred outer arch with a continuous outer hollow and ogee moulded order and the inner order on half octagonal columns to the responds. The inner arch has three continuous moulded orders in two centred arch in a square head with quatrefoil and dagger ornament to the spandrel, and a moulded cornice, with an embattlement. Original plank and batten door with cover strips. Chancel, mid C12, some C14 and C15 fenestration and a restoration of 1870. One original mid C12 single light window in the south wall and two in the north wall. South doorway, C15, restored and above, a window, also C15, clunch and of two, cinquefoil lights with moulded surround in square head. The east window of three graduated lancets is c.1870. There is a C14 Decorated window in the north wall. The north wall of the nave has three Decorated windows of clunch, each of three, cinquefoil lights in two centred arches with early C14 tracery to the heads. The north doorway c.1200 was restored C19. Interior: Two centred, west tower arch of two keeled, roll moulded orders on shafts with moulded bases and scallop capitals. South arcade of nave is C15. Clunch. Five bays. Two centre arches of two orders. The outer is ogee moulded and continuous and the inner is chamfered and carried on half octagonal columns with moulded capitals and high, moulded bases. C15 king post roof also in five bays. Arched braced tie beams with dagger tracery to the spandrels. The wall posts rest on angel corbels bearing shields. The easternmost truss is more elaborately carved and also painted. North of the chancel arch are the rood loft stair doorways. The C15 screen incorporates some modern material. The chancel has a plain band at sill height. There are two square openings with rebates for doors in the east wall, probably aumbries. C13 opening in north wall in two centred, trefoil arch. A doorway, now blocked, has two continuous moulded orders in two centred arch. It probably led to a north vestry now removed. Pews, C15 early C16. In chancel, with poppyhead finials to ends. Pulpit, with some modern work, hexagonal, C15-C16. Fine chandelier in nave. Brass, early C18, brought from St. Benets, Cambridge 1870. In the north aisle is a C15-C16 oak chest with iron furniture, and nearby a Roman coffin, C.400 A.D. found at Mettle Hill, Meldreth. Another chandelier in the nave is also of brass, and probably C19. Two tiers of eight branches. Font C14. Octagonal bowl of limestone on octagonal stem. Quatrefoils carved to each face of bowl. In the west end of the south aisle there is C18 wall monument. Limestone with black marble panel carved with inscription.

Pevsner: Buildings of England p.441 V.C.H. Cambs. Vol. VIII p. 95 R.C.H.M.: Record Card (1949)

Listing NGR: TL3777746837

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

52289

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Salzman, L F, The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, (1982), 95
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire, (1954), 441

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.