History of our church - Parish of Horfield
The village of Horfield is recorded in the Doomsday Book of king William I in 1086 as "Horfelle" and over the centuries other spellings have appeared in old documents as "Horfylde" and "Horsefield" whilst "Harfield" was being used as late as 1879 when the present spelling seems to have been established.
The first recorded reference to the Parish Church was found in the Library of Canterbury Cathedral in the Will dated 16th March 1502 of John Walter of Bristol who directed that his body should be buried within the "Church of Saint Andrew in Horsfelde".
The original dedication of the Parish Church was to Saint Andrew and in all probability stems from the visit to England in 603 A.D. of Saint Augustine following which churches erected under his influence or to his memory were dedicated in the name of Saint Andrew.
It is not known why the Parish Church was re-dedicated to the "Holy Trinity" following the rebuilding in 1846, at a later date "with Saint Andrew" was added to the title whilst "Saint Edmund" was added in 1978.
Copy of the Will of John Walter of Bristol dated the 16th March 1502, In the 24th Year of the reign of King Henry VII, Found in the Library of Canterbury Cathedral.
During the mediaeval period the majority of all wills had to be "proved" at Canterbury Cathedral where many hundreds are preserved to this day.
In dei nomine amen - XVI die Mensis Marcii anno domini millesimo quingentesimo secundo
Ego Johannes Walter de Bristolla infra parochia sancti Augustum, Wigorn 'dioces composmentis et sane memorie conde testamentum meum in hunc modum
In primis lego animam meam deo omnipotentum beate Marie matre sue et omnibus sanctis corpus qu'meum sepetiendum infra ecclesiam sancti Andree de Horefelde. Item lego matrem ecclesie Wigorn ' VIIId. Item lego Willielmo Grekelad curat 'de Horefelde Xs.
Residium vero omnium bonorum meorum mobilium et immobilium que remanent ultra solutionem et conteotationem debitorum meorum et ultim executionem omnium legatorium in hoc presenti testamento meo superius specificatorium plene et libere do et lego Katerine uxor mei et Thome Walter filio meo habendum et tenedum eisdem Katerine et Thome predictem tang sua bona propria imperpetuum quos predict ' Katerinam et Thomam ordino et constituo meos veros et indubitatos executores hulus presentes testamenti mei.
Hiis testibus Willielmo Grekelad curat de Horefelde, Willielmo Dymmock, Willielmo Ward, et Thomae Dymmock et aliis.
Datum die et Anno Domini supradicto.
In the name of God, Amen. 16th day of March 1502 A.D.
I, John Walter of Bristol in the Parish of St Augustine, Diocese of Worcester, being of sound mind and healthy memory make my testament in the following manner. First I bequeath my soul to Almighty God and the Blessed Mary his mother and all the Saints. My body is to be buried within the church of St Andrew of Horfield. I bequeath to the mother church of Worcester 8 pence and to William Grekelad curate of Horfield 10 shillings. The residue of all my goods which remains after payment of my debts and after carrying out the bequests of this Will I bequeath to Katherine my wife and Thomas Walter my son to have and to hold to the said Katherine and Thomas as their own for ever; and the said Katherine and Thomas I appoint as my true executors of this my present Will: These being the witnesses, William Grekelad, curate of Horfield, William Dymmock, William Ward and Thomas Dymmock and others.
Given the day and year above mentioned.
