[Former] Holy Trinity - Bimport Street - Shaftesbury, Dorset
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SMacB
N 51° 00.370 W 002° 11.945
30U E 556191 N 5650816
Holy Trinity church on Bimport Street, Shaftesbury, built in 1842. It was made redundant in 1974, and now belongs to Shaftesbury Trinity Centre Trust, a charitable organisation.
Waymark Code: WMWQB2
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/01/2017
Views: 0
"Shaftesbury is a town on the Dorset border, 28 miles north-east from Dorchester. Roman coins have been found during excavations and the town was mentioned in the Domesday Book. An abbey was established in the 6th century and it was a place of pilgrimage at one time. The town is on a hill for which there is a steep ascent. The parish of St Peter covers the main part of the town, St James covers the lower part of the town and was described as mainly small tenements in the 19th century. Holy Trinity is to the south and west. Under the Local Government Act of 1894 large parts of the three parishes became the borough of Shaftesbury. Holy Trinity church which is in Bimport Street was completely rebuilt on the old site in 1842.
It is built in the Early English style and comprises nave, aisles, north and south galleries, choir, north and south porches and square embattled western tower, 100 feet in height, with pinnacles and containing six bells. It will seat 834 persons. The churchyard of the Holy Trinity contains three handsome avenues of lime trees. The church registers date from 1581. The population of the civil parish in 1871 was 974 and 907 in 1891. The area covers 353 acres."
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"Holy Trinity Church was made redundant in 1974, due to falling congregations, and was offered to the Shaftesbury Scout Group.
In 1979, a small Scout-based group, the Trinity Executive was formed, lead by Dick Ripper, to convert the church to a multi-use Trinity Centre – for the Scouts, as an old people’s day care centre, and for business and other community uses.
Fund-raising was undertaken guided by a fund-raiser, Brian Picking, who was loaned by Help The Aged. Several hundred local people donated, and fund-raising events were held.
A Charitable Trust was formed, chaired by Ford Geddes, which took over in November 1980. This became legally responsible for the Trinity Centre. The Executive and the Trust were all-volunteer groups.
The building work was contracted to Williams Brothers, a local company, and supervised by Leo Williams. Trinity Centre was opened in May 1982.
The cost of the project was around £130,000, half contributed by local donors, and half by pre-payments for the facilities created. No support was sought or offered by central government or lottery etc.
The Trust has always operated on minimum costs with only one paid staff, and income [derived from use of the facilities created] exceeds expenditure.
Profitable operation has allowed the trust to fund many local good causes, and to accumulate financial reserves.
The Scouts continue to benefit from use of the building, on very favourable terms.
By 2012, the Trust under the leadership of Jo Churchill, the current chairman, decided that sufficient funds had been accumulated to transform the 26-metre high tower. This now offers a viewing platform for public use that is accessed via 126 steps up a narrow spiral stone staircase, and commands an all-round view of the area."
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