A HISTORY OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, BOTTISHAM
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The roof of the galilee has a flat pitch but on the masonry, above the
present roof, lines exist which mark the steeper pitch of the previous roof. Jackson
(1907), writes in an architects report, that the galilee was dangerously cracked and
had to be underpinned on a better foundation: the small southern window was
unblocked at that time. From time-to-time the building has suffered from
unsympathetic restoration. The 1839 restoration of the galilee entrance, and its
two imitation shafts with modern capitals and moulded bases, is an example of
such restoration. The north and south walls of the galilee have been resurfaced in
roughly-dressed clunch rubble, but some radial courses which abut the tower,
remain, (HMSO, 1972).
THE TOWER
Even though the cost of erecting a tower was a significant part of the
total cost of building a church, it was considered most important that funds be
raised for the building of a tower. Braun (1970) believes that the tower was, and
still is, an important part of the church because it supplied the church with an
element of monumentation and, at the time of building, it over topped the hovels
of the surrounding hamlets and thus emphasised ecclestical authority. With
England’s history of civil unrest the tower also served as an important watch for
the movement of roving bands and the sheen of enemy armour. Indeed, many
towers were used for such a purpose in the World Wars of the twentieth century.
The Early English west-tower at Bottisham is somewhat unusual in that
the aisles embrace the tower. This was not the case with the original Norman nave
as is demonstrated by the steeply-pitched weather-course which remains on the
east wall of the tower, within the present nave. This demonstrates that the
Norman nave was no wider than the tower. The tower is 66 ft (20m) high, the
base 16.8 x 13.3 feet (5m x 4m). Externally, the Bottisham tower is of two stages
with a chamfered plinth, topped by a rebuilt, and coursed, embattled-parapet and
cocketed pinnacles (Royal Commission). At one time the whole tower was
uncoursed. The parapets and pinnacles belong to the second half of the fourteenth
century (Weir). Three-stage buttresses rise, on the north and south walls, as far as
the ringing chamber. The lower courses and quoins, of Shelly-limestone, may be
twelfth century reused material (ibid). The belfry stage is faced with clunch
plastered on the surface with Roman cement and lined to imitate rubble facing
(ibid). Internally the rectangular tower is of four stages: the first three have walls
of 3.75 ft (1.1m) thickness and the last stage has walls of 2.5 ft (0.76m) thickness.
Each face of the bell chamber has a plate-traceried window of two lights, with a
trefoil in the head and a moulded label with stop masks. On the east wall of the
ringing chamber is a blocked thirteenth century opening with chamfered jambs on
the east, and on the west straight jambs and a pointed arch.