A short guide to the church building
Tuesday 3 October 2006
A sumptuous church – Nikolaus Pevsner
Most of what you see was built around 700 years ago. At that time, all the windows would have been filled with stained glass. The walls were plastered inside and out (and probably painted inside). An ancient reference suggests the church originally had a spire. The church was extensively restored in the 19th century when the present pews were put in the church, the high nave roof reconstructed, and much of the exterior was clad in stone.
One of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Reeve’s Tale, is about the miller at Trumpington. It begins:
At Trumpington, nat fer fro Cantebrigge, [Cambridge]
Ther goth a brook and over that a brigge,
Up-on the whiche brook ther stat a melle; [mill]
And this is verray soth as I yow telle.
The 15th century Font1, with superb carvings, provided the model for many Victorian copies. The font stands at the place where newcomers are welcomed into the Church, and a Baptism, or Christening, is our welcome into the family of God.
In the top of the window2 you will see a blue shield with two golden trumpets, the emblem of Sir Roger de Trumpington.
The vestry3, where robes, books etc are kept, was built in the 19th century, but the doorway is ancient. Nearby is a list of the priests who have served here. The ‘rector’ today is Trinity College, which has the right to appoint the vicar and is responsible for upkeep of the chancel.
The base of the pillar here4 is one of the oldest features of the church, dating from around 1200AD. The nave, the main part of the church with its beautiful pillars, was rebuilt in the 14th century. You will see from the plan that, although churches are built facing East, there were several different attempts to determine the true direction. Whilst taking in the view, note the elegant 14th century design of the tracery in the East window.
The Trumpington War Meorial stands on ‘Cross Hill’ – the base of an ancient cross was found in 1921 and placed in the church tower.
The organ5 is by Miller of Cambridge, rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison in 1929 and 1958.
In the tower is a small window to a chamber in the tower wall. It has a hole in the ceiling for a bell rope. This might have been built to provide shelter for someone tolling the bell for funerals. The bell ringer would have been able to see the approach (before the vestry was built) and the window would let him see when the funeral party arrived in church.
Four large stone tomb covers6, dating from the middle ages and decorated with crosses, have been stood on end here.
Now go to the front of the south aisle7. A white lamp shines in the south chapel, indicating that the Reserved Sacrament is here. After the main Sunday Service, the Holy Communion, the Body of Christ, is reserved in the aumbrey – small wall safe behind the curtain. For this reason, the chapel is a place for private prayer. You might like to say a prayer here before you leave.
The Communion Table8, made by a parishioner in 1932, is modelled on an early Tudor sideboard.
The window above it, in memory of a vicar who was professor of Moral Philosophy in the University, reflects his interests. In the centre, the child Jesus is teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem. His hearers are the moral philosophers of the day. To the right and left are the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The lower panels show great men of Cambridge – Sir Isaac Newton on the left, Francis Bacon in the centre and possibly Lord Macaulay on the right.
This window9 illustrates the Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5000 – the version in St John’s Gospel as it features the small boy carrying two fish. Jesus’ disciples have already distributed the bread, and there is enough for everyone.
The wooden screen at the entrance to the chancel10 dates from the 15th century. Its top was roughly sawn off at the Reformation, when this kind of barrier between priest and people was often removed completely. Look closely at the north side and see the faces putting their tongues out!
Just behind the screen is a large raised seat for the vicar11, from which the worship is led. The large window behind the vicar’s seat, and the small one opposite, are made up of fragments of the original stained glass windows of the church. At the top of the big window is a leopard, possibly the emblem of Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, 1245–1296 – the only 13th century glass in the city of Cambridge. The main figures beneath are St Peter and St Paul (14th century).
A memorial window to Henry Fawcett12, first professor of Political Economy in Cambridge, and Postmaster General, who was blind from the age of 25. The primary school in Trumpington is named after him.
The figure of Jesus in this window13 shows wounds in the hands and feet. The story is of the risen Jesus telling Peter to “feed my sheep”, hence the sheep in the picture. The vicar commemorated died on Christmas Day, aged just 37. His wife, remembered in the next window, survived him by just four years. The main scene here is Jesus raising to life a girl, Jairus’ daughter who was thought to have died. (Luke 8.40–56)
A blocked doorway14 once gave access to the Sacristy, where communion vessels were kept, and possibly a chapel, taken down in the 16th century.
Amongst the memorials15 note one to John Hailstone who was university professor of Geology until he was 57, and then served 30 years as vicar here.
The wooden Communion Table16 is early 17th century, replacing the stone altar, which would originally have stood here until the Reformation.
To the right is an elaborate double Piscina – two basins with drain holes. Pope Innocent III, in 1216, ordered the construction of these in churches. One is for washing the priest’s hands and the other is for water from rinsing the chalice.
The ceiling, reconstructed last century, retains its 700 year old finely carved roof bosses, and the redecoration in 1964 matches the medieval colouring.
The fine Pulpit17, which came from the chapel of Emmanuel College, was given to the church by Thomas Allen in 1677. The base is modern.
Roger de Trumpington’s brass memorial18 is the second oldest in England, set in a slab of Purbeck marble. Roger, a crusader who possibly rebuilt the church, died in 1289. The arms are those of Roger and his son Giles. The tomb chest may be that of the grandson, Giles de Trumpington, and the brass was later altered to incorporate his arms. The tomb and the arch above date from around 1330AD. There is a light to illuminate the brass, on the east wall behind the tomb in the north chapel. A biography of Sir Roger is available here.
Behind Sir Roger is the old parish chest19. It stands in the North Chapel, which was for many years the family ‘pew’ of the Pemberton family. An elegant monument to Sir Francis Pemberton (died 1690), ornamented with drapery, cherubs, gilded tassels and a flaming urn, is nearby; also a hatchment (over the North door) of Jeremy Pemberton (died 1800).
We hope you have enjoyed your visit. If you would like to join us in worship, our main Sunday service times are here.