Holy Trinity Church, Spooner Row

This is a Church of England church located in the Diocese of Norwich and the Ecclesiastical Parish of Wymondham. The Church was built by the Wattlefield Estate in 1847 as a “chapel of ease” to serve the then hamlets of Spooner Row, Suton and Wattlefield. It is thought to have been funded by John Mitchell, a local solicitor and built in a restrained Tudor style – constructed of red brick and slate tile roof.

John Mitchell was a cousin to William Robert Clarke and it was William’s grandson, Edward Francis Routh-Clarke that later inherited The Wattlefield Hall Estate.

Henry Cushings Newspaper Book notes that in 1898 there was a bazzar and fete at Wattlefield Hall to raise money for the restoration of the Spooner Row Church.  This fete was opened by His Highness Prince Frederick Duleep Singh.  Prince Frederick Victor Duleep Singh, MVO, TD, FSA, also known as Prince Freddy, was a younger son of Sir Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.  Stalls and swingboats were out in the grounds, and a concert took place in the drawing room.  As a result of this refurbishment, the walls in the church were recoloured, wooden panelling was put round the entire building, a new pulpit and tapestry were installed, and the organ repaired.  Collections from the first service after the reopening (it was full at both services) were £3 and 6 shillings.  A year later a jumble sale and sale of work to raise more money was held in the school hall and raised £15.

In 1956, the church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity in succession to the former Guild of Holy Trinity and later, in 1974, it was formally handed over to Wymondham PCC and it is now a daughter church of Wymondham Abbey. The reference to the Guild of the Holy Trinity goes back to the sixteenth century.

The church occupies an attractive corner plot in the centre of the village of Spooner Row, surrounded by a selection of mature Common Limes, English Yew and English Oaks.

There are two memorials in the churchyard; one is a war memorial to commemorate both World Wars and the other to Mr and Mrs Routh-Clarke. The 1922 Census shows Mr Edward FR Clarke and his wife Mrs Maria Routh-Clarke as local land owners who lived at Wattlefield Hall. Edward’s mother, Ada Routh Clarke and her sister Mable Raikes also lived at the Hall, as shown by letters written by them to their solicitor Mr Pomeroy of Wymondham in April 1907. In 1958 it was Mrs Routh-Clarke that paid to revive the Church and she supported the Church up to her death in 1972. Some in the village will remember that it was also Mrs Routh-Clarke that paid to have the Three Boars Pub rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in 1926.

The churchyard is not consecrated and not available for burial.

The contacts for those at the Wymondham Ecclesiastical Office are parishoffice@wymondhamabby.org.uk or vicar@wymondhamabbey.org.uk.