14.—THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY, LENTON.

The new Parish Church of Lenton, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity, stands midway between Old and New Lenton. The first stone was laid on June 11th, 1841, by Francis Wright, Esq., of Lenton Hall, who contributed £3,000 towards its cost, which was £6,000, besides giving the land for the site, and also for the schools and Vicarage. The Church was consecrated on October 6th, 1842, at 11 a.m., by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln (the Right Rev. John Jackson, D.D.). The Bishop, with the Ven. Archdeacon Wilkins, was received by the Chancellor, Registrar, Vicar, Churchwardens, and Committee, and conducted to the vestry, where the Vicar presented the Petition for consecration, which was read to the assembly by the Registrar. The Bishop's sermon was preached from Haggai 2v9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former." At the close of the service, the flag was unfurled at the top of the tower. The offertory amounted to £147.

The church is a large stone building with high pitched, slated roofs, and consists of a nave, with clerestory, north and south aisles, chancel, vestry, organ chamber, north porch, and lofty square pinnacled tower. The style is Early English and not handsome. It is 123 feet long, by 57 feet wide, and seats 660, of which 384 are free sittings. There are five plain pointed arches on each side of the nave, supported by Corinthian columns. The interior of the church has changed considerably since it was built, as there have been restorations and additions at various times. For several years after the erection of the church, the east end of the chancel, which was partitioned off from the remainder of the church, was used for the purpose of a vestry, but in 1862 the partition was removed and a vestry erected on the south side of the chancel. The door to the old vestry in the east wall of the chancel, which was approached by a flight of stone steps from the outside, was blocked up. This alteration brought into view the reredos erected in 1858. It was executed in Ancaster stone, and bore the Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Decalogue in gold upon panels of glass painted blue, the Agnus Dei being carved in the middle. The communion rails stretched straight across the chancel, uncurved as now. The vicar's pew was on one side, and the squire's on the other side of the chancel.

From the end of the vicar's pew on the south side a staircase with a landing led up to the pulpit, which was very high, being what is commonly known as a "two-decker." Under it was the reading desk, with the old Norman Font standing on four pedestals in front of the reading desk. The font was later removed to the west door and put on a stone plinth, and finally removed to its present position in 1904. The church was lighted by gas, and heated by coal stoves, one at each end of the nave. All the free seats were in the centre aisle, and were removed on any great occasion. The passage in the north and south aisles ran alongside the walls. All the pews which were rented had doors, and most of them were provided with boxes for books. In 1862, when the partition in the chancel was removed and the new vestry erected, the pulpit was also lowered and the reading desk removed to the north side. Hot air took the place of stoves as a means of heating the church.

The parish church in 1843.

The parish church in 1843.

In 1870, the organ chamber was erected on the north side of the chancel, and the organ and choir removed from the gallery. The ringing chamber in the tower was lowered as a result of the removal of the organ. In 1882 the old pulpit was sold to the Primitive Methodists for use in their new chapel in Abbey Street. An iron-work one took its place on the north side, which later went to All Soul's Church, when the present one was put in, in 1894, minus the panels which have since been added. The stone wall dividing the chancel from the nave was built at the same time. In 1888 an appeal was made for £500 to instal a heating apparatus, clean the windows, provide proper ventilation, to lengthen the pews towards the centre of the nave, to supply kneelers where required, repair the bell-frames, and clean the church. When the pews were lengthened the ends were rounded off by cutting off the fleur-de-lys design. As a result of this lengthening, the pews in the north and south aisles were pushed up to the walls, and the passage moved towards the middle of the nave. The middle passage as a result became more narrow.

In 1894 the church was re-decorated, and the gallery, which extends across the west end of the nave, and now seats 214, was shortened. This restoration was delayed by a strike in 1893, but on April 5th, 1894, the re-opening ceremony took place. It was a gala day for the parish. Flags and bunting were hung in the streets and a peal of bells was rung. All the neighbouring nobility, clergy, and gentry came, and the Mayor and Corporation of Nottingham attended in state. The Lord Bishop of Southwell (the Rt. Rev. George Ridding, D.D.), was the preacher, and an organ recital was given by Dr. Belcher.

Among the few important alterations which have taken place since was the gift of a new organ in 1906 by W. G. Player, Esq. It is a two manual organ, containing 26 stops, built by Brindley and Foster.

The reredos was also given by Mr. Player in 1911. It is executed in mosaic work and green and gold glazed tiles, and bears the figure of Christ, holding a chalice, with His cross in the background. Four angels surround the feet of Christ, and beneath are the words:—

" Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small, Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all."

The reredos is surrounded with a marble border, beneath which runs the text from the Communion Office, " If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous, and He is the Propitiation for our Sins."

The present choir and clergy stalls were the gift of Mr. Henry Crewdson, in 1911.

In July, 1897, on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, the following appeared in the Parish Magazine.

Jubilee

 

Jubilate

 

LENTON

 

60 Years

 

£50

Long Live

 

 

the Queen.

 

Bravo Lenton.

2,200 coins were placed in the offertory. The sum total illustrates the truth of the old adage, "Mony a mickle maks a muckle."

On November 7th, 1901, there took place the unveiling of the South African War Memorial Window, by Earl Roberts, V.C. The Bells were rung, and a short organ recital was given by Mr. Fred. Harvey, during which the choir proceeded to the Chancel, while the clergy went to the west door to meet the Commander-in-Chief, accompanied by Lady Roberts and Guard of Honour. The Lord Bishop of Southwell (Dr. Ridding) was present, also the Rt. Rev. Bishop Baines, acting chaplain. Earl Roberts was visiting Nottingham, by Royal Command, to distribute war medals to about 1,000 returned soldiers.

An experiment with loud speakers was made in the church in 1922, which proved unsuccessful, and at the same time electric light was installed.

The pulpit of Lenton Church has been occupied by many famous and well-known people. Among the Bishops who have occupied it are Dr. John Jackson, of Lincoln and London, Dr. Wordsworth, of Lincoln, Dr. Trollope, Bishop Suffragan of Nottingham, Dr. Samuel Crowther, the first black Bishop, Dr. Alexander, of Derry, several Bishops of Southwell, and Derby, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Terrat Neville, D.D., Primate of New Zealand, a Lenton boy by birth, and also an Ojibway Chief, and a Hindoo convert. (W.E.O.).

Lenton Parish Church is still well known for its excellent choir. It was quite famous in 1843, when it was its custom to sing selections from great works before the services. The girls of Lenton Orphanage used to sing in the choir before surplices were in use in Lenton Church. Some of its present members have sung in it for nearly a generation. There have been 10 organists in connection with the new parish church, of whom Mr. Fred. Harvey has served the longest. He served under four vicars, being organist for 36 years (1883-1919). He has been described as the most methodical organist Nottingham had produced. On his retirement he received, among other things, a silver cup as a memento of his long service.

The Hymn Book originally used in Lenton Church was entitled "Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, selected for the use of the Parish Church of Lenton, Notts.," sold at the National School House, 1856. This was followed by the Hymnal, and later Hymns Ancient and Modern.