Mr and Mrs Mills

The present Holy Trinity Church dates back to the 14th century, with the majority of the architecture being 15th century. It was a chapelry of the parish of Wraxall until 1811, when Holy Trinity became a parish in its own right. The church has been a listed building since 1962, with restoration and alterations carried out 1840–1862, 1984–1985, and 2003–2004.

Today you enter the building through the Trinity Centre, built in 1984–1985, and opened by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. A mediaeval symbol of the Trinity is set in the paving outside the entrance.

The Trinity Centre replaced the original vestry, and stands on land which was formerly part of the churchyard: it houses most modern facilities at the church, including the administrative offices, kitchen, and function rooms.

The stained glass window in the north wall was a gift from All Saints Church, Wraxall, in 1894. Its light was blocked by the Trinity Centre, so it was back-lit in 2004. Beyond this lie plaques to John Baily and children (their names, and ages, bear poignant testimony to mortality in the past), to Ralph Vigers, and to Ann, wife of Thomas Tyndall.

The organ stands in what was originally the Nailsea Court Chapel. It was built from parts of the previous organ, and was located by the tower door (to the left of the north entrance) from 1882 until 1974.

The original altar was removed in 1550, at the same time as the rood loft, and an oak communion table now serves this purpose. The dais you now see was added in 2004 and is made up of gravestones. The ornate reredos, with its beautifully inscribed text of the Ten Commandments, came from Wraxall Church; the east window was bequeathed by James Coombs in 1878.

The area to the right of the chancel was originally the Mede Chapel, which probably had its own altar at some point. This was surrounded by wood panelling, and had a Sunday School gallery above it. The gallery and panelling were removed in 1842; other alterations 1840–1868 included removal of the south aisle gallery, addition of buttresses on the outside wall, replacement of roof beams, and the re-slating and re-leading of the roof.

At that time this area was filled with choir stalls. These were removed in 1981 to allow more space for the increasing number of musicians involved in the services. During the rearrangement of the chancel, involving the addition of a much larger raised platform area, a vault was discovered containing a lead coffin possibly dating from the 18th century.

Continuing along the south wall, you will see a second piscina in the wall, which originally served the altar in the Mede Chapel, and above it a plaque to William Bullock and family. The stained glass window here is dedicated to the Revd Frederick Brown and his wife, and next to this is a plaque to Dr William Hinkes, "who practised physick and surgery", and seven members of his family; a tablet to Lt Cdr C E Evans, who restored the Nailsea Court Chapel and also gave the War Memorial, as well as a Deed of Gift towards the upkeep of the churchyard; and above this, a plaque to Major John Nash. The next stained glass window to the west is dedicated to the Revd J Johnson and his wife, and next to this is a plaque to William Shepstone.

The south porch, built in 1712, served as the main entrance to the church until the building of the Trinity Centre, and is roofed with the only tiles in Nailsea known to be from its old quarry. The original wooden door remains—complete, according to local legend, with embedded lead shot fired from within the church! The glass doors were added in 2005, in order to allow the church congregation to see out, and the community to see in, when the external door is open.

The octagonal Tudor-style font has panels containing various devices, including the Tudor Rose and Five Wounds. Below the floor next to it is a cross-shaped, blue-lined baptistery added in 2004 for baptisms by immersion. When this was dug out, the remains of a 14th century cooking-pot were found. The window above this consists of the two side panels originally from the window now on the north wall. The wall plaque is to William Weatherall.

Moving into the tower area, you pass the modern sound-desk which controls the audio and visual presentation of today's services. The stained glass window above the west entrance was given by the Revd Mr Brown in 1861, and was originally located over the chancel. Below and to the left is a plaque to James Yeeles, who presented the Tower Clock in 1873. The door in the wall connects to the stairs leading up into the tower.

The tower houses the bells, first recorded as ringing in 1593, at which time they were rung from the floor of the church. In 1723 the number of bells increased to five and a ringing and singing loft was built.

A further floor was built separating the loft and belfry, and the sixth bell was added in 1793. This floor, and the loft itself, were both removed in 1878. Major restoration work took place to the tower in 1903, when a new zinc-covered roof and the four pinnacles and cap were added; the bells themselves were restored in 1924.