Overton Longville or Orton Longville, Huntingdonshire

Holy Trinity (parish church)

The church of Holy Trinity is a building of stone, chiefly in the Early Decorated style, and consisting of chancel, with spacious north chantry, clerestoried nave of three bays, aisles, south porch and a plain but lofty western tower containing 2 bells: the chancel has a low side window, now blocked, recesses with stone seats on both sides and a trefoiled piscina: the chantry, restored in 1861, retains a piscina and two niches; here is also the effigy of a knight, with the chain hauberk and gorget of about 1330, and there are numerous costly monuments, including an elaborate mural monument covered with shields and having a tablet beneath it inscribed to Elizabeth (Heyner), wife of Henry Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, 1629; Mary, her daughter, wife of Sir William Armyne, 1674; and Talbot Armyne, 1630; another mural monument of marble is to Sir Charles Cope bart of Bruern, Oxfordshire, with a graceful female fiqure by Chantrey, to Lady Mary Seymour, 1825, and there is a massive altar tomb of black marble to Charles, 10th Marquess of Huntly, d. 18 Sept. 1863; one of the shields thereon is inscribed to Lord Bertrand Gordon, who died at Sydney, 10 Aug. 1869, and another to Lord Lewis Gordon, lost at sea on board H. M. S. "Captain," 7 Sept. 1870; there is also a monument to Lieut.-Col. Lord Douglas William Cope Gordon M.P. d. 4 Aug. 1888; also a marble tablet in memory of Mary Antoinette, Marchioness of Huntly, d. 1893: a brass lectern was given by Mrs. Blunt in memory of her husband in 1907: the fine stained east window of this chantry was erected to Charles, 10th Marquess of Huntly, by his tenantry: a window depicting the Ascension and an oak pulpit were erected in memory of the Rev. Peter Royston, d. Aug. 7th, 1906 (rector for 21 years) by the parishioners and brother masons: on the south side of the chancel arch is a hagiosoope and on the north the rood loft door: in the north aisle is a fresco painting of St. Christopher, in rare preservation, a half-length, larger than life, and very distinct: in the south aisle is a tablet to William Yarwell, 1597, who gave to the poor of this parish, Botolph's Bridge and Cowbit, 30s. yearly for ever: previous to 1721 there was a church at Botolph's Bridge, but in that year the livings were united and the materials of the old church, which had been long in ruins, were utilised to enlarge and repair the church of this parish: the south porch is dated 1675: the organ was presented in 1806 by Anne, second wife of John, 7th Earl of Galloway: the church was restored in 1840, and in 1890 the north aisle was restored and other improvements carried out at a cost of about £500: in 1908-1909 the roofs of the chancel, south aisle and nave were restored: there are 270 sittings.