OXFORD DIOCESE PILGRIM PROJECT
Holy Trinity, Cookham
Holy Trinity dates from the early 12th century. There is evidence of a squint window from the cell of an anchoress (a religious hermit), whose duty was to offer prayers on behalf of Henry II when he regretted his part in the murder of Thomas à Becket. Pray for those crippled with guilt, that they may find forgiveness.
There are several old brasses, including an
painstakingly hacked out. There is a rather sad
unusual one, depicting the Trinity, on the tomb
inscription on another tomb to a young 26
of Henry VI’s ‘Master of the Royal Spiceries’, a
year old soldier who was killed in a skirmish
critical responsibility in those days. On the walls
near Warminster, which must have been when
you can see one of those carved depictions of
William of Orange was on his way from Torbay to
a local family who died in 1561, showing the
London to take over from King James in 1688.
parents facing each other in prayer, backed by their extensive family. Pause for a moment and
Much later, when a local man died in a boat on
consider those who have been an important
the river, the distinguished Victorian sculptor,
influence in your life, who are no longer with us.
John Flaxman, was called upon to illustrate the
Give thanks as you remember them.
event. The head of the Victorian artist, Frederick Walker, is portrayed on the back wall with some
Little harm seems to have been done to the
distinction. But the artist most associated with
church during the Civil War, although we have
Cookham is Stanley Spencer. A copy of his Last
an inscription on one of the tombs vandalised
Supper is on display in the church. You can see
by an over enthusiastic Puritan who thought
more of his work in the Spencer Gallery, yards
the Latin reference to the ‘Mother of God’ was
from the church. Give thanks for the God-given
too Catholic, and the offending letters were
talents of artists whose work enriches our lives.
The tower was a late addition in about 1500, and
Winthrop Young, a close friend of Mallory, of
it now contains a ring of ten bells, enthusiastically
Everest fame. We also have what a former ‘squire’
rung by the resident team and visitors. Inside the
described as ‘rivalling the worst epitaph in the
church the music is equally memorable with the
world’, to a young man who drove his carrier
long standing men’s and boys’ choirs now being
vehicle too fast round a corner and died in
supplemented by a girls’ choir. All of them share
1813.
the music for the very well supported services each Sunday. Give thanks for the gift of music
The churchyard is a quiet and peaceful place
and all those who share their talents to enhance
with a gate giving immediate access to one of
worship.
the most lovely reaches of the Thames, where the visitor can walk for some miles over the
In
the
churchyard,
there
is
a
stone
fields beside the river, along the Thames Path.
commemorating Stanley Spencer. It was here
Give thanks for the River Thames, for the life and
that Spencer set his most celebrated painting,
leisure it supports. Give thanks for the gift of fresh
the Resurrection in Cookham, in which former
water which we so easily take for granted.
residents climb out of their graves to join their friends. Almost hidden amongst the other graves lies the poet and mountaineer, Geoffrey
OXFORD DIOCESE PILGRIM PROJECT
Oxford Diocese Pilgrim Project: Holy Trinity, Cookham SL6 9SP
You might also like to visit other nearby churches in the Pilgrim Project:
Website: www.holytrinitycookham.org.uk
St Thomas of Canterbury, Goring Site of ancient priory St Giles, Stoke Poges Gray’s ‘Elegy’
PILGRIMAGE PRAYER Pilgrim God, You are our origin and our destination. Travel with us, we pray, in every pilgrimage of faith, and every journey of the heart. Give us the courage to set off, the nourishment we need to travel well, and the welcome we long for at our journey’s end. So may we grow in grace and love for you and in the service of others. through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen
John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford
Illustrations by Brian Hall © Diocese of Oxford