The Founding of Holy Trinity, Kilmarnock

The Irish famine of 1845 - 49 led to the emigration of many Irish people, not only to the U.S.A. and Canada, but also to the Western seaports of mainland Britain, such as Glasgow, Liverpool and Cardiff. Some of those who emigrated to the Glasgow area settled here in Kilmarnock. Among them were many members of the Church of Ireland, which was, and still is, in full Communion with the Scottish Episcopal Church. To cater for their spiritual needs and for those Episcopalians in the Kilmarnock area, Bishop Trower of Glasgow established a Mission in a hired hall in Kilmarnock in 1851. This started well, but was soon in financial difficulties. However, in 1856 some influential members of the Congregation formed themselves into a Building Committee, collected funds, purchased a site, and within a year the present Nave of Holy Trinity Church, together with a small chancel and organ-loft was completed at a total cost of £1,400. This building was consecrated by Bishop Trower on 11th. August, 1857.

On Saturday 15th. August 1857, the Kilmarnock Weekly Post carried the following report:

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

The Consecration of this place of worship was performed by the Lord Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway on Tuesday. A good many surrounding ladies and gentlemen, with a number of our more respectable townsmen, were there to witness the ceremony. The proceedings had a most imposing effect.

The Bishop delivered a sermon from Acts viii 30.31, which for richness of illustration, depth of feeling and elegance of delivery, we have scarcely ever heard surpassed.

After services were over, about 30 gentlemen (!), Episcopalians and Presbyterians sat down to dinner in the George, where most kindly feelings prevailed. The Parsonage, which is connected to the Church, was completed two years later, in 1859. It is also worth noting that the site of the Church and Parsonage had formerly been that of the terminus of the first railway in Scotland, built by the Duke of Portland to transport coal from the mines of Kilmarnock to the pier at Troon for export. The original Church building of 1857 was the design and work of a local Kilmarnock builder, Mr. James Wallace, a member of the congregation. The Parsonage was designed by a local architect, Mr. Ingram.

Within 20 years, the Church was extended to its present form. This was accomplished largely through the generosity of Mr. (later Sir) William Houldsworth of Coodham. Added to the original Nave of 1857 were a Chancel/Sanctuary and Organ-loft. The design of this addition was entrusted to Sir Gilbert Scott, one of the most eminent Church architects of his generation (his grandson was to gain even greater fame as the architect of Liverpool Cathedral). The builder, again, was Mr. James Wallace, whose own design for the East Window was accepted by Sir Gilbert Scott. The work was directed by Mr. John Oldrid Scott, a son of Sir Gilbert.

This is how the Kilmarnock Standard of Saturday 9th. September 1876 reported the dedication of the extension to Holy Trinity:

The new and richly decorated Chancel was solemnly opened on Thursday by the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway. The opinion generally expressed was that this is one of the finest, if not the most beautiful Chancel in Scotland. The Nave of the Church has been altered by the removal of the West gallery and the addition of pews, while the walls have been painted and the arches tastefully decorated with Scripture texts. A surpliced Choir and musical service have been introduced in the Church. The Revd. Mr. Creighton spoke of the liberal support and co-operation of Mr. Houldsworth of Coodham, and added: ‘It should be stated that every member of the congregation - poor as well as rich - has contributed towards the expense of the alterations’. The Bishop of St. Andrew’s, Dr. Wordsworth, preached a most eloquent sermon on Psalm CX v4, in which he showed the dangers of formal worship but recommended the duty of beautifying Churches and services, which he urged was not inconsistent with that spiritual worship by which we might gain the intercession of our Great High Priest. Mr. Houldsworth said that: more especially in Scotland where the nation had decided that the established form of worship should be strictly simple and severe, there was a fair field for the Episcopal Church with its less barren services.

The Kilmarnock Standard quoted the Rector’s intention, and that of those who aided him as being ‘to do all they could to promote a Spiritual form of worship among the members of the Church’. (This intention the present Minister would echo, these 130 years on).

A Church Hall was added in 1896 to complete the 19th. century building. This Hall was later extended in 1965/66 to provide further hall and Choir Vestry accommodation (a typical 1960’s flat roofed extension).

The Interior of the Church

The most noticeable and striking architectural feature of Holy Trinity Church is the Gilbert Scott Chancel/Sanctuary.

Its style is Early English Decorated, a style very characteristic of the late Victorian period. The uniqueness of the Murals on Chancel/ Sanctuary walls and ceilings draws much appreciative comment from visitors. These Murals, Pre-Raphaelite in style, a memorial to Thomas Houldsworth of Farnsfield, are executed in oil-paint on plaster. The application of the Murals was the work of Burlison and Grylls of London, but, unfortunately the name of the artist who conceived the design is unknown.

The Murals depict on the North wall the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, whereas on the South wall they depict, in contrast, Our Lord on the way to Calvary on the first Good Friday. On the East wall, on each side of the stained glass window is depicted the figure of an angel offering incense: underneath is a shield bearing, on the North side a representation of a ‘pelican in her piety’: on the South side, the ‘Lamb of God’ (Paschal Lamb).

The Kilmarnock Standard report of 9th. September 1876 concerning the art-work reads thus:

Murals on Chancel Wall and Ceilings:

On the South side (ceiling) are the 12 Apostles, each bearing his symbol and supporting a scroll on which is inscribed an article of the Apostles Creed. On the other (North) side are 12 Prophets, each bearing a scroll containing a text from his writings, having reference to the article of the Creed on the opposite panel.

Immediately over the Figures which take a processional arrangement on the walls is a rich band of palm and orange trees, treated almost naturally, and forming a kind of continuous canopy. The effect of this is original and very pleasing.

The murals were cleaned and restored by a team from Glasgow Art Gallery in 1986 and the Church building repainted by Community Industry.

The East Window is a memorial to Patrick Boyle of Shewalton (who chaired the 1856 Building committee).

The window consists of five lights, and was installed by Powell and Sons of London: ‘The design is an excellent one, and the general effect remarkably beautiful, the greatest care having been taken with all the details’. (Kilmarnock Standard, 9th September 1876).

The East stained glass window, in its centre panel moves upwards from a depiction of the Crucifixion, through Resurrection to Glorification/ Ascension.

The lower, side lights, represent: Nativity; Baptism; Last Supper; Pentecost; with the upper row representing scenes of Resurrection - from left to right: the raising of the son of the widow of Nain; the angel at the tomb telling the women of Christ's Resurrection: Our Lord's appearance to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus; the raising of Lazarus.

As you look from the Nave to the East Window, it is interesting to reflect upon the number of symbols of the Trinity depicted there in the stone tracery (3 upon 3 upon 3).

The Chancel/Sanctuary Pavement (flooring) was also supplied by Powell and Sons. This is composed of mosaic marble of Pompeian pattern, the design increasing in richness towards the altar. Ripe wheat and grapes are represented, to remind us of the central elements of bread and wine used in the Eucharist.

A depiction of St. George appears in the stained glass panel in the middle of the South Wall of the Nave, while the window further forward on the South Wall reminds us of our life in this world as a pilgrimage: 'they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country' (Hebrews, Chapter 11, verse 14).

On the South Wall, at the Sacristy door, between memorial tablets to members of the Cuninghame family of Caprington hung the standard of the Life Guards, which was laid up in the Church when Lieut.-Colonel W.W.S. Cuninghame of Caprington was serving in that regiment. It has since been returned to Caprington due to its increasing fragility.

A window opposite, in the North Wall, another memorial to the Cuninghame family, has set in it a small representation of Caprington Castle.

The West Window, above the door to the Church Hall is a memorial to members of the Vernon family of Auchans. Here we see represented in the lower row the Christian virtues: Faith and Hope either side of Charity. In the upper lights are depicted St. Andrew and St. George, either side of Angelus Pacis, the Angel of Peace.

The Brass Lectern is a memorial to the Revd. A.G. Creighton (Rector 1865 - 1889): the Font is a memorial to the Revd. Robert Wildbore, first minister of the congregation 1851 - 1852.

The Reredos and panelling in the Sanctuary behind the High Altar was erected in 1932 as a memorial to the Revd. Canon Albert F. Blood, Rector of Holy Trinity from 1889 – 1926.

The fine Pipe Organ, housed in the Organ Loft in the Chancel area, dates from the extension of 1876, installed by Hill and Sons of London. The Organ was a gift of the Houldsworths of Coodham, and described in the Kilmarnock Standard report of 1876 as a 'splendid instrument'. The Organ was refurbished in 1939 by Hill, Norman and Beard.

The inner porch was erected by congregational subscription as a War Memorial and was dedicated by Bishop Reid on 28th April 1923.

Around the walls of the Nave hang further adornments: a wooden panel of the Lord's Prayer (North Wall) is an interesting example of fretwork. It was rescued by the mother of a current member of the congregation.

The most recent donation is the crochet-work depiction of the Last Supper in the middle of the North Wall, by Maria Jones, gifted in 1995.

Acknowledgement.

It was due to the hard work of Canon D. Main, Canon K. Stephen and the late Paul Copinger that has made it possible to include this page of information. Special thanks must also go to Paul for the photograph of the church on this web-site and to all the photographs produced in our church guide booklet, available at the church.