The Group reiterated and confirmed our objection, as a non-party opponent, to the proposed removal of pews from this Grade I listed church, with the issue now due to be considered by Oxford Consistory Court. Holy Trinity was completed in 1832 by Edward Garbett, and designed in the Early English style.
Following a site visit and Casework Committee consideration in 2023 the Group had written two previous letters of concern that proposals would cause unacceptable harm to the significance of the Grade I listed building. Such concern was echoed by other Amenity Societies and Historic England. The Group has recognised the church’s legitimate and laudable ambition to remain an active community resource and has therefore been broadly receptive to the wider programme of proposed changes, despite their impact on historic fabric. Our objection is confined to what we consider to be the most harmful element of the scheme: the removal of the historic pews. The pews are regarded as exceptionally significant examples of Georgian church furnishing, retaining finely carved poppyheads and, although subject to later modifications, original to the construction of the church. Such survival of a church’s original design is increasingly rare, and they offer an invaluable expression of the architectural vision of Garbett, and the historic character of the interior.
We confirmed that we do not consider the proposed relocation of some of the pews to the gallery to be appropriate mitigation; this would require substantial intervention to the historic fabric, create an inauthentic presentation (where the gallery spaces were far simpler), and fail to offset the loss of significance resulting from their removal. We are also deeply concerned by the recent unauthorised temporary works, during which many of the carved poppyheads were removed from the pew ends. We have asked the Court to make an assessment of significance of the pews on the basis of their condition and contribution prior to those works, recognising that reinstatement and appropriate conservation of the removed poppyheads remains achievable.
We await the Chancellor’s decision.