Inside the church

HOLY TRINITY LARKFIELD

Trinity Symbols.

As you start to explore the church, you may notice many items - both functional and decorative - that are based on
the unit of three. There are a great many examples, ranging from bells and window arrangements, to pew carvings
and ornamental plasterwork. The more that one is aware of this feature, the more examples one finds. The unit of
three reflects the tripartite nature of God as being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The inner doorway of the porch opens into the south aisle. The Fuller family recently donated the cost of the
magnificant oak doors in memory of family members. One's first impression is of light and spaciousness.
This effect has been achieved largely by the uncluttered interior, and the pale colour-wash on the plaster
walls. It is enhanced by the scale of the large arches in the arcading, and by the row of clerestorey windows at
the top of the nave side walls.

Font

This is made of Caen stone. and is lead lined. The quadruple
columnar pedestal, supporting the bowl on a heavy stepped
base, was made to resemble a design of the Norman period.
The font stands in the traditional location - at the west end of the
church, near the main door. In mediaeval times, baptism
services commenced in the porch, and finished at the font.
Modern Larkfield is quite a young parish, and our font sees
considerable use. For example, during 2001 there were 70
baptisms held here. The simple oak cover to our font was
presented to the church in 1927. Font covers, and locks, were
introduced during the thirteenth century, when the water, that had
been blessed, was stolen by people believing that it had truly
magical powers.

Pews

The major alterations to these, the original pews, took place at
various dates - in 1894, when the pulpit was relocated; in 1902,
when the first organ was purchased; and in 1914, when the
vicar's stall and the choir stalls were donated. Prior to 1894, the
pews extended right up to the single step at the front of the
chancel.

Seating was introduced into churches during the fourteenth
century, and had become pretty well universal by the end of the
fifteenth century. Before then, the congregation had to stand, or
kneel, throughout the whole service. This could be quite an
ordeal for the aged or infirm, and so some churches provided
limited seating against a side wall. It was this that gave rise to the
saying that "the weakest go to the wall." Processions through
crowds of people massed haphazardly in an unfurnished nave
were somewhat hesitant and arduous affairs. So one of the
responsibilities of the verger was to clear a path for the
processing clergy and choir.

Pulpit

The stone pulpit used to stand to the north-east of the area
containing the choir stalls. It backed onto the archway that
now contains the war memorial - in what has since become
part of the chancel. It was moved to its present position in
1894. An iron staircase with which it was provided at that
time, has since been replaced with the present wooden one.
When the pulpit was in its original position, it was entered
from within the vestry, via a flight of steps housed within an
external projection, which may still be seen today. The
figures in the panels set around the sides of the pulpit are
those of the four mythical beasts - taken to represent the four
evangelists referred to in one of the readings for Trinity
Sunday our Patronal festival. The inscription around the top
of the sides - 'To the poor the gospel is preached' - words
from the prophet Isaiah spoken by Jesus in the Synagogue
at Nazareth at the beginning of his journey through Palestine.

The church authorities decreed, in the early seventeenth
century, that pulpits be provided in all churches. Until then,
sermons had been delivered from behind the altar or, latterly,
from the west end of the chancel.