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33. Holy Trinity Church, Gillingham, Kent

Status: Listed Grade II
Architect: Arthur Bailey  in partnership with William Henry Ansell
Owners: Church of England
Location: Twydall Estate, Gillingham, Kent

Background

With a startling 70ft half-pyramid roof like a ship’s prow, and a location at a crossroads in Twydall housing estate, Gillingham, this church is a local landmark of some note. It was designed by Arthur Bailey  in partnership with William Henry Ansell (1963-4) and strongly influenced by both Finnish ecclesiastical architecture and the desire of the Liturgical Movement to bring the congregation closer to the altar. Square in plan, and with a brick single-storey base supporting the cedar-shingle clad roof, Bailey also designed the church’s furnishings and fittings and it received a Civic Trust Commendation in 1968.

Threat

A planning application was made by Community and Church Projects Limited to the local planning authority, Medway Council, proposing its wholesale demolition and replacement with a community facility incorporating a place of worship. It was also in a poor state of repair, needing about £250,000 worth of refurbishment works.

Action

This case was urgent and the C20 Society provided a quantity of background material to support the spot-listing of Holy Trinity as a “unique and exceptional example of post-war ecclesiastical architecture”.

Outcome

Holy Trinity was listed Grade II in 2009 as a “radical and progressive design” with “considerable townscape value”.