“Helping people connect with God”
Holy Trinity is located on the western shores of Upper Lough Erne on the east end of the Derryvore peninsula, directly across from Crom Castle. Although the church is a National Trust Property it is used regularly as a place of worship by parishioners in Kinawley Parish and occasionally for weddings by those who are part of the wider Anglican Communion. (See below for more information—rules around having a wedding at the church and downloadable form.)
Every Sunday (except during bad weather) a boat is available (11.45am) to carry people from the Crom Estate across to the service at 12pm (except for the 4th Sunday of the month when the United Service is held at the Parish church in Derrylin).
History of Holy Trinity, Crom
Extract from
‘Victorian church and graveyard sited in a picturesque location atop a low hill at the east end of the Derryvore peninsula in the parish of Kinawley and Diocese of Kilmore. The church (listed grade B) comprises a nave built 1840-2, a chancel with vault and vestry built 1867-9 and a belfry tower with basement built 1884-7. It contains an organ, a fine stained glass window in the east end and high wooden pews with a total seating capacity for 210 adults. The graveyard in which the church is placed comprises a long rectangular area 60 x 31 m (1860 sq m) with east-west axis. It was put down in 1840 except for a 15 m extension on the west end which was added in 1888.
The foundation stone of the Holy Trinity Church was laid on the 9th June 1840 by John Crichton (afterwards 3rd Earl of Erne) and the completed building was consecrated with great ceremony on 15th July 1842 by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese (John Leslie D.D) in the presence of a large congregation. The new church was built at the instigation of Lady Selina Crichton on land donated by her husband John Crichton, while the choice of its location was probably determined by the presence of a large number of parishioners on this side of the lake.’
‘The completed 1840-2 church comprised the present nave together with a tower, steeple and porch. It was apparently completed at a cost of £7,200. The architect has not been established though it has been suggested that John Shipton Mulvany of Dublin was responsible. In fact it is more likely that either Edward Blore or George Sudden was responsible. Unfortunately, none of the architectural drawings and accounts of this building appear to have survived, but the original church is depicted as a background feature on two paintings, the ‘Garden Party 1853’ and ‘Under Sail’ c. 1850, both presently in Crom Castle. These show the tower and steeple and the presence of an east window. According to a newspaper account of the 1842 consecration this window contained “stained glass, bearing scriptural representations”, while inside the church there was a “pulpit and desk on either side of the communion table”.
The present nave, which measures 14.80 x 7.66 m internally, appears to have retained most of its 1840-2 features. The arched brace roof, which is original to the 1840-2 church, covers the nave in four bays and is painted white. The curved braces are supported below the cornice by projecting brackets and above are joined to a collar beam from the centre of which hang ornamental pendants. The butt purlins are not visible for the areas between each truss are plasters and painted white. Externally the roof is covered with even courses of blue-black slates with a decorative iron ridge-piece and ornamental finials belonging to the 1867-9 period along the apex.
June 2011
Weddings at Crom
If you are considering having your wedding at Holy Trinity, Crom, then it is important to note the following requirements;
- Under the Marriage Regulations of the Church of Ireland, ‘…at least one of the parties shall have been baptised and is a member of the Church of Ireland or of a Church in full communion therewith’ (Anglican or Episcopal).
- Since the rector of Kinawley Parish is only available to marry parishioners it will be your responsibility to obtain someone to solemnise the marriage. (The person solemnising the marriage must use the up-to-date Anglican Marriage Service.)
- Those who have been married before (divorcees) must get permission from the Bishop of Kilmore.
Legal Requirements
In addition to this request form, couples are reminded of the need to apply to the civil registrar (at the Town Hall, Enniskillen) for a Schedule of Marriage, which is the legal document which grants permission to the Officiant to proceed with the marriage. This is normally done about three months before the date of the marriage.
If either party to the marriage is not a citizen of the EU, immediate contact should be made with the Registrar’s office to establish what immigration requirements need to be fulfilled before the marriage may proceed.
Wedding Receptions
The West Wing, Crom Castle, is just a short boat trip across Upper Lough Erne and caters for small wedding parties. (There is a link to this on the ‘Links’ page of the site.) Other venues include ‘The Manor House Country Hotel’, ‘Killyhevlin Hotel’ and ‘Corick House’.
Picture to the left: Wedding at The West Wing, Crom Castle
