Church of St Giles

This list entry was subject to a Minor Enhancement on 1 September 2022 to amend the description, remove superfluous source details from text and to reformat the text to current standards

SJ51SW 653-1/5/691

SHREWSBURY WENLOCK ROAD (east side) Church of St Giles

10/01/53

GV II* Church. Foundation and some surviving structure of C12, extended successively thereafter, and extensively restored by Samuel Pountney Smith in 1860-63. Coursed and squared sandstone, with plain tiled roof.

PLAN: nave with north aisle and chapel, chancel.

EXTERIOR: western bellcote on gable, carried by central buttress pierced and flanked by lancet windows. South wall possibly largely C12, coursed and squared sandstone, raised later. Simple roll-moulded doorway in timber porch added in restoration. Trefoiled and plate traceried windows of one- and two-lights, inserted in restoration. Organ loft and chancel are additions of c1860. Four-light chancel east window in Decorated style. Single-storey polygonal vestry added 1893 by Lloyd Oswell. Two- and three-light Decorated windows to north aisle, and four-light west window.

INTERIOR: nave arcade of four and a half bays, possibly C14, but restored. Cylindrical shafts carrying chamfered and roll-moulded arches with foliate respond to the east. Heavy timber roof structure, possibly C15, with curved principals and collar over tie beam. C19 chancel arch with marble shafts with stiff leaf capitals springing high from corbels. Keeled panelled chancel ceiling. North aisle largely c1860, with wide arch to eastern chapel, a C15 arch partially concealed behind a later one leading to chancel.

FITTINGS: C12 font, with chevron base and primitive figures in an arcade round the basin. Other fittings largely date from restoration.

STAINED GLASS by Kempe in west window, and chancel east and south windows. East window dated 1902, south window of 1931. West window of aisle has stained glass by David Evans. Flemish glass resited in north aisle chapel window.

The church was established as a leprosy hospital chapel c1154-62, and incorporates the remains of this original building.

Listing NGR: SJ5072911845