1210: Holy Trinity Church

     

 

     Holy Trinity Church itself was established in 1210. However, there has been a church on that site for over 1,000 years, since at least 713. The symbol of the Church is three intertwining fish, a reference to the Holy Trinity for which the Church is named. The name Holy Trinity is a reference to the Christian belief in the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being one Divine Being, God. The Church door dates from the 13th century and its knocker in those days could be touched to claim sanctuary in the Church for 37 days. The Church used to be attached to a College, though the College building is now gone. The Eagle Lectern is a large stand made to hold the Bible during service. It is made of brass and has an eagle holding the Bible on its wings. It has an eagle on it because eagles were thought to fly the highest of any bird and therefore can get the closest to Heaven. There is also a Bible in the Church dating from 1611 to the right of the altar where the eagle lectern is. 

The chained Bible from 1611

 

There are 26 misericord seats with wood carvings in the Church which date from the 1400s. Misericord means “have mercy.” These seats were designed to sit in but also lean on when they are; if someone was tired, they could lean on the seats and look like they’re standing while really they’re leaning on a part of the chair to take the weight off their feet. 

A misericord seat. The wood carving, dating back to the 1400s, depicts a woman holding a man by the beard & kicking him in the crotch.

 

The Church has two fonts used for baptism, one of which is the medieval font where Shakespeare was baptized.  The pulpit in the Church is made of green marble and adorned with five Saints in white alabaster. Holy Trinity Church is still an active Church and people still worship here to this day. 

The Altar above the chancel where Shakespeare and his family are buried.

    Holy Trinity Church is most famous for its association with William Shakespeare. It is the church where William Shakespeare was baptized and buried, as well as the church where he likely worshiped while in Stratford. According to the Stratford-upon-Avon parish register, Shakespeare was baptized in Holy Trinity Church on April 26, 1564 and was buried in the chancel when he died on April 23, 1616. There is also a monument of Shakespeare on the north wall of the chancel. It shows him from the waist-up holding a piece of parchment and a quill. 

The bust of Shakespeare in the chancel.

 

Shakespeare is buried next to his wife Anne Hathaway, his eldest daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall, and his granddaughter’s first husband Thomas Nash. According to the Holy Trinity Church, a recent Ground Penetrating Radar survey showed that Shakespeare and his family are buried 3 feet underground and in shrouds instead of coffins. He put a blessing and a curse on his grave, and the curse is for whoever disturbs his remains, so it’s unlikely we’ll ever know more about his bones than where they are. Shakespeare’s grave is engraved with the words

Good friend for Jesus’ sake forbear,

To dig the dust enclosed here.

Blessed be the man that spares these stones,

And cursed be he that moves my bones.

 

The grave of William Shakespeare