Church Of St Giles

SWAFIELD BRADFIELD TG 23 SE CHURCH ROAD 3/85 Church of St. Giles 16.4.55 - II*

Parish church. C14 with west tower of late C15. Flint with ashlar quoins and slate roofs. Nave and chancel. Nave aisles removed and church partly rebuilt 1786. 4 stage tower with string courses between floors. Diagonal stepped buttresses. 3-light west window. Square ringing chamber windows pierced with tracery of 4 mouchettes in diagonal petal disposition. 2-light square-headed belfry windows. Stair turret to south-east. Nave with stepped side buttresses, those between windows rebuilt in new position 1786. Gabled south porch of rendered brick with ashlar quoins, all rebuilt. Over arched entrance a date plaque commemorating reconstruction of church. 3 2-light Y tracery windows to nave, each in centre of blocked arcade openings. Chancel supported by one stepped side buttress to south and eastern polygonal turrets topped by crocketed finials. 2 3-light cusped intersecting south windows with hoods on head stops. Arched priests' door deflects path of string course running beneath window sills. 5-light cusped intersecting chancel east window. North chancel with one blocked window to west of lean-to C18 pantiled vestry of rendered brick construction. Arched doorway to east, 2-light Y traceried window to north. Interior. Octagonal piers of 4-bay arcade survive embedded in nave walls with polygonal moulded capitals and hollow chamfered arches. Tall wave moulded tower arch with semi-circular responds. Similar chancel arch with octagonal responds and polygonal capitals. Fine C14 scissor braced roof with collars and ashlaring. Octagonal C15 font with engaged columns to stem framing ogee arches. Bowl alternately decorated with panels of twin ogee arches and 4-lobed petal tracery. C14 wall painting over chancel arch depicts Christ exhibiting his wounds. Arched priests' door in north chancel wall leads into vestry. To left blocked window, to right basket- arched recess. Cinquefoiled arched piscina in south wall. C18 chancel roof of thin scantling : collars on arched braces, principals and 2 tiers taper- tenoned butt purlins.

Listing NGR: TG2679733302