Historical introduction to Trentham Parish
Documentary evidence confirms that the site of the present church is as old or older than many of Britain's great Cathedral foundations. The earliest records still in existence indicate that St. Werburg (niece of the Saxon King, Ethelred) was given control of a priory in Trentham in AD 680. However, it is also more than likely that there was a Christian Church, in more or less the present position (which would have adjoined the Priory), as well. Certainly, a priest is referred to in the Doomsday Book, of 1086.
Like many important religious centres, the churchyard is by a major river and, furthermore, is at the meeting place of three valleys (containing the Trent, the Park Brook and the Longton Brook, respectively), in the manner of Celtic religious sites. In modern Welsh this geographical feature might be described as Trinant and this could explain the name of both the river and the area. During the Roman occupation, two roads met near the present Church, one running north to south, by the river, and the other connecting the important settlements at Derby (to the east) and Chester.
If one had travelled on this road westwards, a mile or so above the river on the ridge of the Hanchurch Hills is another ancient site. One interpretation of the name "Hanchurch" is "old church" and legend has it that there was another Church here. Even today, there is a chapel on a nearby site that is used regularly by the Parish of Trentham.
However, church sites, even venerable ones, are nothing without people to worship, to maintain the fabric and to help each other to find God. The present church community is very aware of the generations that have gone before and has much cause to be thankful for the facilities left for us. In particular, the reconstruction of the main church building in 1844, which was carried out to the design of Sir Charles Barry (architect of the British Houses of Parliament) to the order of the second Duke of Sutherland.
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