Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge

Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge is an Anglican parish church on Market Street, at the corner with Sidney Street, right in the middle of the city in Cambridgeshire, England. It combines the everyday life of a working congregation with a history reaching back to the Middle Ages and with one figure who shaped the evangelical movement in the Church of England.

Where is the church and how do you find it?

The church stands in the heart of Cambridge, where Market Street meets Sidney Street, an area most visitors cross anyway when walking between the market square and the university colleges. Its coordinates are roughly 52.2059 N, 0.1203 E. That makes it easy to add to a walking tour without planning a separate trip.

How did the story of this site begin?

The first church here was a timber building and burned down in 1174. A new stone church was begun in 1189. Of that period only the west wall beneath the tower survives, so it is the oldest visible part of the building. In 1834 the smaller chancel was taken down and replaced with a larger one, giving the interior its present proportions.

Who was Charles Simeon and why does he matter?

The church is inseparable from Charles Simeon, who was appointed vicar on 9 November 1782 and held the post until his death in 1836, more than fifty years. The start was far from smooth: part of the congregation had wanted another curate, Hammond, and resistance ran so deep that the churchwardens locked the doors against Simeon when he proposed an evening service.

Even so, Simeon gradually built a strong community. At his own expense he added a gallery in the south transept, and in 1794 he introduced a barrel organ. He was also one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society in 1799, a missionary body of the Church of England.

What is the church like today?

Today Holy Trinity belongs to the charismatic evangelical tradition of the Church of England. The current vicar is Stuart Browning. The parish remains a living congregation, so visitors should remember that this is a working church and not only a heritage building.

What were the "Cambridge Seven"?

In 1885 seven young men known as the "Cambridge Seven" set out from the church's circle on a mission to China. The story shows how far the influence of the community begun by Simeon reached, and how important a role this parish played in missionary work.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Holy Trinity Church? On Market Street, at the corner with Sidney Street, in central Cambridge.

What survives from the original medieval building? Only the west wall beneath the tower dates from the stone church begun in 1189.

Who was Charles Simeon? Vicar of this church from 1782 until his death in 1836, a co-founder of the Church Missionary Society and one of the key figures of the evangelical movement in the Church of England.

Is the church still in use? Yes, it is an active Church of England parish in the charismatic evangelical tradition. Service times are best checked directly with the parish.

Can I visit it while walking around Cambridge? Yes. Its central position makes it easy to fit between the market square and the colleges, and the story of Simeon and the missionaries is a good reason to look in.