Church Of St Giles

Church of St Giles

A parish church on the south side of High Street, Elkesley, dating from around 1300 with significant additions and rebuilding in the 14th, 15th, and 19th centuries. The church was substantially restored in 1845. It is constructed of coursed rubble, dressed coursed rubble and ashlar, with lead and pantile roofs, coped gables to the aisle and chancel, and a single ridge cross to the east chancel.

The building comprises a tower, nave, north aisle, south porch and chancel. The 14th-century buttressed tower rises in four stages with bands marking the junctures of the top two stages. It sits on a plinth and is embattled with single pinnacles at the angles. The north side features a lean-to projection between the buttresses, with octagonal responds and moulded capitals supporting a double chamfered arch. Within, there is a small arched stoup in the inner west wall and an inner pointed chamfered arched doorway with double wooden door. The south side displays a 15th-century cavetto moulded Tudor arched doorway with heavily panelled wooden door. Above it, in the apex, is the date 1612 flanked by single Tudor roses, with a hood mould featuring decorative label stops and blind carved spandrels. A single arched window above has two arched and cusped lights with a hood mould. Four arched bell chamber openings each contain two arched and cusped lights. Single clock faces appear on the west, north and east sides, with a single rectangular stair light on the north.

The buttressed north aisle, set on a plinth, was rebuilt in 1845. Its west wall has a blocked chamfered arch cut into by the west tower doorway. The north wall contains three recut 15th-century windows, each with two ogee arched and cusped lights under a flat arch with hood mould and label stops. The clerestory has three similar windows lacking hood moulds.

The chancel sits on a plinth. Its north wall contains a single lancet window dating from around 1300 with hood mould, and to the left a single 15th-century two-light window with cusped panel tracery under a flat arch with hood mould. The 14th-century arched east window has three lights with intersecting tracery, hood mould and label stops. The south chancel has a pair of arched and cusped lights with a single hood mould over and label stops.

To the left stands the 19th-century porch, constructed of ashlar and tile with diagonal buttresses. Set on a chamfered plinth with coped gable, it has a chamfered arched doorway with hood mould and label stops in the east wall. The south wall contains a single arched window with two arched and cusped lights, tracery, hood mould and label stops. The west wall has a single arched and cusped light under a flat arch. The inner doorway is arched and chamfered with hood mould and label stops. To the left of the porch, the south wall sits on a plinth and features a single arched window with two arched lights and hood mould, a headstone to Francis Bradley dated 1784, and further left three large 14th-century arched windows, each with three arched and cusped lights, hood mould and label stops.

Interior

The three-bay 14th-century north aisle arcade features octagonal columns and responds with moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. This arcade is now blocked, with a doorway containing a panelled door in the westernmost bay. A hood mould runs over the arches with two human head label stops. The inner chamfer of the double chamfered tower arch is supported on octagonal responds with moulded capitals. A 19th-century wooden gallery with blind arched and cusped panels is present.

In the north nave wall at the junction with the chancel and set diagonally is a single niche with cusped arch, decorative hood mould, label stops and large decorative finial. Above it is a further single arched and cusped niche with crocketed hood mould, finial and label stops. The south chancel has an arched and cusped piscina.

The interior contains two 17th-century chairs with carved backs and a large 17th-century chest with decoratively carved panels. The pulpit has open arched panels, and there is a single elaborately carved 17th-century bench. Other furniture is 19th-century. The nave roof has 15th-century bosses. The chancel roof is inscribed "D.N.I.R. 1836 R.W.H.V."

Monuments include one to Catherine Sharpe dated 1764 by Ant. Ince in the south chancel, and one to Edward and John Buckles of Mansfield in the north chancel, which is rectangular with decoratively carved sides and an angel on the crown.