Holy Trinity, Forest Row

Holy Trinity Church was built as Chapel of Ease of East Grinstead parish in 1836, and extended by the addition of a new aisle, in 1878. The land, described as the ‘Gravel Pits’ was given by Lord Gage, the Lord of the Manor, and the funds to build the church were obtained by voluntary contribution and by a grant from the Church Building Society. Additional land was acquired in 1852 and this is the land on which the Church Hall now stands. Both pieces of land were consecrated by the Bishop of Chichester.

On 8 January 1850 the Parish of Forest Row was created as a Chapelry District of Forest Row by Royal Order in Council.

This granted the right for the ‘publication of Banns, Solemnization of Marriages, Baptisms, Churchings and Burials’ and for the resulting fees to be paid to the Incumbent. However, Forest Row still remained part of the Parish of East Grinstead and did not become a separate parish until 1894. The ecclesiastical parish included then, as now, St. Dunstan's Church, Ashurst Wood.

The church with its prominent chestnut shingled spire, is a pleasantly plain and simple example of early Victorian church architecture, and is maintained to a high standard. The interior of the Church together with the hall and vestry has recently been updated following a generous legacy and some concerted fundraising. To mark the millennium, the church and spire were spectacularly floodlit and as a result the building has become a real visual landmark in the centre of the village.