Holy Trinity Church, Clapham Common

The Holy Trinity Church in Clapham Common in London opened in 1776, the same year as the American Declaration of Independence. It is a simple design that looks more like a residence, with the wide front verandah.

During the Second World War, the church was damaged – the windows were broken, the chapel destroyed, and the main roof was collapsing. It was left in the derelict state for a few years, with people still attending and having to sit under the galleries for safety. The renovation was completed in 1952, although not entirely to the original design, because there were some changes and additions.

Each year in June the church hosts a fundraising fair called the Common Fayre on the grounds of Clapham Common.

MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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