Photo: Andrew Roberts

St Mary & St Michael, Trumpington

History of Trumpington church

Listed Building

There was a large church here by the late C12 or early C13 as the base of the tower and parts of both aisles are of that date. The chancel, with a now demolished NE sacristy, was rebuilt in the late C13, and the rest of the church, including the nave, clerestory, aisles, chapels, porches and upper part of the tower, was rebuilt c.1330. The NW vestry was apparently added in the C16.  (Historic England)

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The church is a fine example of a building of the second quarter of the 14th century, with clearstorey lights set above the piers of notably lofty nave-arcades. Among the fittings, the Trumpington tomb is noteworthy and the Trumpington brass is among the earliest and finest in the country. Some fragments of 13th and 14th century glass survive.

Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. City of Cambridge 2

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Standing beside the River Cam at the southern approach to Cambridge, St Mary and St Michael’s Church is one of the county’s finest medieval parish churches. Closely associated with the historic village of Trumpington and its medieval manor, the church has served the community for more than eight centuries. Built largely during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, it combines graceful Decorated Gothic architecture with an exceptional collection of monuments, stained glass and historic furnishings, making it one of Cambridgeshire’s most important ecclesiastical buildings.

The church’s greatest treasure is the celebrated brass of Sir Roger de Trumpington, dating from about 1289. It is one of the earliest and finest military brasses in England, depicting the knight in full chain mail with crossed legs, his hands joined in prayer and his feet resting on a lion. The brass has become one of the iconic images of medieval England and is frequently reproduced in books on church monuments and medieval armour.

Nearby stands the magnificent stone canopy that shelters the brass, one of the finest surviving Gothic tomb canopies in the country. Together they form an outstanding memorial to the medieval lords of Trumpington Manor and provide a remarkable insight into the artistic achievement of the late thirteenth century.

Elsewhere, the church contains a handsome Jacobean pulpit transferred from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, together with fine medieval arcades, an elegant timber roof and fragments of medieval stained glass. Careful Victorian restoration preserved the church’s historic character while ensuring that it remained a thriving centre of parish life.

Today St Mary and St Michael’s is admired not only for its architectural beauty but also for its outstanding monuments and long association with the history of Trumpington and Cambridge. Its remarkable brass, elegant medieval architecture and peaceful riverside setting make it one of the most rewarding churches to visit in Cambridgeshire.

Reference: based on the description of Trumpington in Simon Jenkins, England’s Thousand Best Churches, with additional architectural and historical context.

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See this article on the Trumpington Local History Group website

and the church’s own website