Holy Trinity Church, Blackburn 1.33

Holy Trinity Church is in Mount Pleasant, Blackburn, Lancashire, England. It is a former Anglican parish church which is now redundant and under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.HistoryThe church was built between 1837 and 1846 at a cost of £5,019. It was a Commissioners' church, receiving a grant of £1,519 towards its cost from the Church Building Society. The church was designed by the Lancaster architect Edmund Sharpe, the project being instigated by the Rev J. W. Whittaker, Sharpe's cousin and the vicar of Blackburn. The foundation stone was laid on 11 October 1837 by Rev John Bird Sumner, then the Bishop of Chester. It opened for worship in January 1846, and was consecrated on 12 July of that year. The church provided seating for 1,626 people. The completion of the tower was delayed due to lack of funds until 1853, and the intended spire was never built. In 1860 internal alterations were carried out under the direction of E. G. Paley, Sharpe's successor in the practice. The galleries were reconstructed and new stalls were added, providing 200 more seats. The organ was removed to a position behind the pulpit. These alterations cost over £1,000. Between 1942 and 1949 the vicar of the church was Chad Varah, who later founded The Samaritans. In 1946 the side galleries were removed, retaining the west gallery. Holy Trinity was declared redundant on 1 April 1981, and was vested in the Trust on 18 May 1984.