Church of St Giles

Church of St Giles

Parish church, mostly rebuilt in 1761 but retaining some earlier material probably from the 14th century, with additions of 1881 by Ewan Christian. The building is constructed of red brick and ashlar with a slate roof with coped verges. It comprises a west tower, vestry projection to the south and stair projection to the north, a four-bay nave, and a two-bay chancel.

The west tower contains 14th-century and later work in two stages, topped with a crenellated parapet and recessed stone spire. The upper stage, marked by a string course, is a later addition to the tower. The west doorway has a segmental head and appears to be a 19th or 20th-century insertion that encroaches on the base of a pointed window with Y-tracery, which has been restored. The belfry openings are pointed with Y-tracery. Diagonal buttresses flank the tower.

The 18th-century north stair projection has a large pointed north window with Y-tracery. On the north wall is a tablet to Robert Newman, died 1774, with a segmental pediment and recut inscription. The 20th-century south projection has a four-centred arch south window with Y-tracery.

The nave dates from 1761 and features a coved eaves band with buttresses to the east end. Tall pointed windows with Y-tracery light the interior. Two wall tablets are positioned one above the other: one to Nigel Neville, died 1817, and one to Anne and John Newville, died 1801 and 1811, surmounted by an urn.

The chancel was added in 1881. Its south side has a central pointed door flanked by two pointed windows. The western window has two trefoil-headed lights with a single reticulation above; the eastern has one trefoil-headed light with a trefoil above. The north window is similar to the south-eastern one. The pointed east window has three trefoil-headed lights with reticulated tracery.

Interior features include a western gallery now housing the organ, constructed of panelled wood. The chancel arch is pointed and double-chamfered, with the inner order springing from corbelled engaged columns with moulded capitals. The nave has a king-post roof with curved wind braces, two pairs of purlins and a ridge piece.

Fittings include a font of circa 1878 with colonettes at each corner of the pedestal and an octagonal basin with quatrefoil panels. An exceptional oak pulpit dating from 1678 features a barley-sugar twist column and is octagonal with carved and panelled sides and a canopy decorated with egg-and-dart moulding and carved cherubs. A 17th-century oak chair is in the chancel. Wainscotting lines both nave and chancel.

The chancel contains a wall plaque to Matthias and Sarah Astley, died 1729 and 1743, with an open pediment surmounted by an urn. The south wall of the nave bears a bracketed aedicule to Zacharius Babington, died 1688, with Corinthian columns and a diminutive semi-circular pediment carved with foliage and containing a coat of arms. Another aedicule commemorates Theophilus and Mary Levette, died 1746 and 1734, and their two children, Theophilus, died 1726, and Elizabeth, died 1754, and features fluted brackets, plain pilasters, and an open semi-circular pediment surmounted by a heraldic shield and flanked by urns spouting flame. A bracketed plaque to Thomas Levett, died 1843, is surmounted by an open book. A plaque to John Levett, died 1799, Richard Levett, died 1802, Thomas Levett, died 1820, Catherine Levett, died 1810, and Ann Levett, died 1841, is surmounted by an obelisk and an urn spouting flame. Another bracketed plaque to Ann Levett, died 1765, has a pediment surmounted by an obelisk and urn. On the north wall stands a bracketed plaque to Arthur Astley, died 1742, flanked by scrolls with a broken pediment surmounted by an urn; a plaque to Richard and Elizabeth White, died 1724, and Sarah White, died 1747; and a tablet to Thomas Brudenell, died 1670.

The stained glass includes fragments of 15th-century glass in the north and south chancel windows, a good east window depicting the crucifixion, and a mediocre window in the nave.