Delving into the history of Holy Trinity’s lychgate

The Holy Trinity Church in Kalk Bay will celebrate its 150th anniversary on Sunday, September 29, with a special service to mark the historic occasion.

In the lead-up to the event, False Bay Echo will share some interesting historical facts about the church.

In this video, Reverend Richard Martin, rector of Holy Trinity, delves into the history of the church’s lychgate – a roofed gateway used at burials for sheltering a coffin – which according to him, is the oldest in South Africa.

The term “lych” comes from Old English for “corpse” and during the Middle Ages, these gates were once known as “corpse gates”, where the shrouded body would rest while the priest began the funeral rites.

Though the tradition began in the 7th century, most lychgates date from the 15th century, during the time of the plague.