Church Of St Giles

Church of St Giles is a parish church of late 11th-century origin, altered in the 13th century, 17th century and early 19th century, and restored in 1889. The building is constructed of mixed rubble with dressings of limestone and Reigate stone, and red brick in English bond, roofed with handmade red brick tiles.

The nave originates from the late 11th century, though the only visible evidence of this early date is the use of Roman bricks and tiles in the northeast quoin, and the re-use of indurated conglomerate in the 13th-century aisle walls. The west end dates from 1653. North and south aisles were built in the mid-13th century, but the north aisle was re-faced and the south aisle rebuilt in 1889. A belfry stands in the west end of the nave, dating from the 15th century. The chancel is early 19th century. The south porch and south organ-chamber were added in 1889.

The chancel is built of handmade red bricks, with some blue flared bricks, in English bond. A brick in the east wall, 1.30 metres above ground, is inscribed 'SB. 1818', probably indicating the master mason and date of construction. The east window has three lights with a two-centred head of gauged brick, moulded wooden frame, mullions and Gothic tracery. Clasping buttresses feature tumbled courses at the offsets. The north window is rectangular, with a flat arch of gauged brick, four lights with two-centred Gothic heads, one wrought-iron casement on pintle hinges with one of two spiral latches, moulded wooden frame and mullion, horizontal saddle bars, diamond-shaped vertical bars behind, and leaded rectangular glazing. The roof is divided into five bays with exposed butt purlins, collars, rafters, ridge and two tie-beams.

The nave has a mid-13th-century north arcade of three bays, partly restored and re-set, with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders. The round columns have moulded bell-capitals, the eastern carved with stiff-leaf foliage and a head with foliage held in the mouth. The east respond is semi-octagonal and has a moulded capital with stiff-leaf foliage. The west respond and all the bases are 19th century. The south arcade is generally similar to the north arcade but is slightly later in date. The capital of the eastern column is 19th century, and that of the western column is simply moulded. The east respond is semicircular and has a semi-octagonal moulded capital with 15th-century detail. Re-set below it is a carved corbel, much defaced. The west respond is semi-octagonal with a moulded capital. East of the arcade is a cutting through the wall containing brick steps to the south, probably of a former rood-stair of which the remainder has been lost in the 19th-century alterations. The south plain doorway to it is rebated on the west jamb for a door.

The west wall is of red brick in English bond, re-pointed with cement mortar, with four stepped buttresses and some 19th-century repairs. In the gable is a blank recess with moulded jambs and straight head, with a moulded projecting sill and broken entablature with steeply-pitched pediment. Above the recess is the date 1653 in moulded brick. The west doorway is 19th century. The west window is 15th century, re-set and restored, of two cinquefoiled lights with recessed spandrels, square head, moulded label, and chamfered four-centred rear-arch. Each light has five wrought-iron horizontal bars of 17th-century or 15th-century origin, with renewed vertical bars. The roof of the nave has been rebuilt, retaining three 15th-century crownposts and some other components. The crownpost on the middle tie-beam is octagonal with a moulded capital and base.

The north aisle has an east window, all 19th century except the splays and chamfered two-centred rear-arch. The east wall is of 13th-century construction, with reused rubble from the former north wall of the nave, including indurated conglomerate, Roman bricks and tiles, and field stones, roughly coursed. The north wall has been re-worked in the 19th century, re-using similar rubble without coursing and with regular alteration of the various materials. There are two 13th-century single-light windows with trefoiled heads, re-set. The 19th-century limestone sills show that the chamfered jambs of Reigate stone or clunch have weathered seriously since the restoration of 1889, probably owing to removal of the older surface. Between the windows is a 13th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred arch, also seriously weathered. It is blocked internally. In the west wall of 19th-century brick is a 19th-century window. The south aisle has been wholly rebuilt in the 19th century and has no ancient features other than some reused collars in the roof.

The 15th-century timber belfry is inside the west end of the nave, with two timber shores extending into each aisle, integrated with the roof of the nave. It has been repaired in the 19th century, all the sills and some other components replaced in matching style and quality. It is built in three stages, of which two are visible from below; there is no access to the upper part. Of the four main posts, the two eastern posts are hollow-chamfered with five-sided attached shafts, each face slightly concave, with elaborately moulded capitals. Both bases and the whole of the southeast post are renewed. These posts rise to a tie-beam across the wallplates of the nave, with two hollow-chamfered braces forming a two-centred arch; the south brace is renewed. The west crownpost of the nave roof is mounted on this tie-beam. The western posts also rise to a tie-beam across the nave, but are without attached shafts, and have a cambered tie at half-height, repaired, with two original posts rising to it, dividing this side into an arcade, with plain-chamfered arch-braces in each outer bay. Above the intermediate tie, two plain arch-braces rise to the main tie-beam. The north and south sides of the first stage are also divided into half-stages by hollow-chamfered cambered tie-beams. A 19th-century post below the middle of each tie-beam appears not to be an accurate reproduction of the original construction. Hollow-chamfered arch-braces rise to each intermediate tie, and above it a hollow chamfered post divides the space into two panels, each of which is saltire-braced by four straight or subtly-curved plain braces, halved at the cross-wings. Cruck-like shores extend from the main posts into the aisles. The southeast shore has been wholly renewed, the others are scarfed to renewed timber near their bases. Two cambered east-west tie-beams are mounted across the main tie-beams to form a square base to the second main stage, with hollow-chamfered arch-braces from the intermediate posts of the west frame, and short spandrel-posts in the east frame. Eight posts about two metres high form the second stage, the sides elaborately braced with doubled curved saltire braces, and some 19th- to 20th-century reinforcement. Diagonal beams form the floor of the third stage, each with two hollow-chamfered arch-braces from the corner posts. Four plain joists of horizontal section complete each quarter. The third stage is weatherboarded externally, without apertures, and forms the base of a shingled octagonal timber spire.

The fittings include a panelled wooden reredos, circa 1730, with paintings of Moses to left, Aaron to right, and carved and gilt foliage and cornice, restored. The communion rail, circa 1730, has twist-turned balusters. The font has an octagonal bowl, each face with a square panel enclosing carvings of three fishes, compass, square and mallet, a formy cross, flowers and foliage. It was moved from Hutton Parish Church in 1873. The previous font is illustrated in Quarterly Papers on Architecture, 1845.

Monuments include: in the chancel, to Edmund Peert, 1676, a white marble tablet with knotted drapery, tassels and achievement of arms; to John Prescott, 1750, a white and grey marble tablet with blank shield; to Henry Blencowe, 1765, a white marble tablet with achievement of arms and moulded segmental pediment; to Henry Prescott Blencowe, 1787, and Elizabeth his widow, 1843, black and white marble with fluted pilasters and brackets, paterae and moulded open pediment. Floor-slabs in the chancel include: to Edmund Peert, 1676, black marble with shield of arms; to Alexander Prescott, 1701, limestone with shield of arms; to Alexander Prescott, 1731, white marble; to Alexander Prescott, date illegible, limestone with shield of arms; to Mary daughter of Francis Woolmer, 1707, limestone; and one other, limestone, much eroded. Benefactions boards in the south chapel, 18th century, have moulded frames and reversed curves at corners: one concerning Endimion Canning, 1681, another concerning John English and Amey his wife, 1790. A bell, not accessible, is reported to be by Thomas Bullisdon, inscribed 'Sancte Jacobe Ora Pro Nobis', circa 1500.

It has been suggested that the present south porch was moved from Thoby Priory, since demolished. This church is listed at Grade I because of the outstanding quality of the timber belfry.