Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide

Trinity Church Adelaide, formerly known as Holy Trinity Church and later as Trinity City, is a prominent evangelical Anglican church located on North Terrace in the heart of Adelaide. Established in 1836, it holds the distinction of being one of the earliest churches in the colony of South Australia, playing a significant role in the spiritual life of the early settlers.

Originally, the church was intended to be a prefabricated structure shipped from England. However, due to damage during transit, the decision was made to construct a stone building instead. The foundation stone was laid by Governor Hindmarsh on January 28, 1838, and the church was opened later that year in August. The original structure featured a distinctive "peaked cap" tower and a clock made by Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, a renowned clockmaker to King William IV and Queen Adelaide.

In 1844, the church underwent significant repairs, including the removal of the clock for safekeeping. The body of the church was rebuilt and re-roofed, and the tower's cap was removed. Upon its reopening in 1845, Holy Trinity became a central place of worship, assuming many functions of a cathedral, especially before other congregations were established.

The current structure of the church dates back to the mid-1880s when it was completely rebuilt based on a design by the architect Edward John Woods. The new building used sandstone that weathered to blend seamlessly with the original limestone, and it was around this time that the name "Holy Trinity" became widely adopted.

Additional significant features of the church precinct include the hall, built in 1887 with a parishioner's donation, and the rectory. The original rectory was a prefabricated "Manning" building, later replaced in 1851 by the current structure, which served seven successive incumbents.

More recently, a 10-year restoration project, supported by the Adelaide City Council, was initiated in 2016 to preserve the church, parish hall, and car park, ensuring that this historic landmark continues to serve the community for generations to come.