Church of St Giles

The Church of St Giles is a building with foundations dating back to the 12th century, extended and altered subsequently, and substantially restored by Samuel Pountney Smith between 1860 and 1863. It is constructed of coursed and squared sandstone with a plain tiled roof.

The plan comprises a nave with a north aisle and chapel, and a chancel.

The exterior features a western bellcote on a gable, supported by a central buttress pierced by lancet windows. The south wall is likely largely from the 12th century, with later additions. A timber porch with a simple roll-moulded doorway was added during the restoration. Trefoiled and plate traceried windows of one and two lights, were inserted during the restoration. The organ loft and chancel are additions from around 1860, and a single-storey polygonal vestry was added in 1893 by Lloyd Oswell. The vestry has two- and three-light Decorated windows, while the north aisle has Decorated windows and the west side a four-light window, also in the Decorated style.

The interior features a nave arcade of four and a half bays, possibly from the 14th century, but restored. It has cylindrical shafts carrying chamfered and roll-moulded arches with foliate responds to the east. The roof structure is likely from the 15th century, with curved principals and a collar over a tie beam. A 19th-century chancel arch has marble shafts with stiff leaf capitals springing from corbels, and the chancel ceiling is panelled. The north aisle is largely from around 1860, with a wide arch to the eastern chapel and a 15th-century arch partially concealed behind a later one leading to the chancel.

The fittings include a 12th-century font with a chevron base and primitive figures in an arcade around the basin. Most other fittings date from the restoration. Stained glass by Kempe is in the west window and the chancel east and south windows; the east window is dated 1902 and the south window of 1931. The west window of the aisle contains stained glass by David Evans. Flemish glass has been resited in the north aisle chapel window.

The church was initially established as a leprosy hospital chapel between 1154 and 1162 and incorporates remains of that original building.