History and architecture
Built according to the designs of Charles Coolidge Haight in 1893-94 and the oldest continuously operated school in Manhattan, Trinity School is a prime example of the English Collegiate Gothic style of architecture. Situated to the east of Trinity School and built according to the designs of William Appleton Potter in c.1890-92, the former St. Agnes Parish House is an excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque design. Trinity School and St. Agnes Parish House both owe their origin to Trinity Parish, the second oldest Episcopal parish in New York City.
The buildings represent different branches of Trinity's mission; Trinity School illustrates the parish's desire to educate the public, while St. Agnes, as one of Trinity's "chapels-of-ease," exemplifies the parish's desire to expand its boundaries. The buildings also recall Trinity's wish to accommodate the social, cultural, religious, and educational needs of the growing population of the Upper West Side in the late 19th century.
Trinity School was established in 1709 and gradually moved northward from its original home near Trinity Church to its present home on the Upper West Side. Haight's design for the school was a knowledgeable response to contemporary concerns for healthier educational environments. The St. Agnes Chapel complex was at one time Trinity Church's largest and most prosperous chapel and was identified by architectural critic Montgomery Schuyler as the most successful example of Richardsonian Romanesque design in New York City. The parish house, the only surviving building of the complex, became a part of Trinity School in the early 1940s. Today both buildings house a prominent educational institution of the Upper West Side and coexist in considerable harmony.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.