Description

ST GILES ST GILES IN THE WOOD
SS 53 18 IN THE WOOD
18/225 Church of St Giles
4.10.60
GV II

Parish church. C15, extensively altered 1862-3, other works in 1879. Local stone
rubble laid to rough courses; sandstone ashlar detail; slate roof with crested ridge
tiles.
Plan: Nave and chancel, north and south aisles are not full length, 1879 vestry and
organ chamber on north side of the chancel. North and south porches. West tower.
Only the tower and outer walls survived the 1862-3 rebuilding and even these were
much altered.
Exterior: West tower of 2 storeys with low diagonal buttresses, embattled parapet
with corner pinnacles and internal stair. Plain rectangular belfry windows. West
doorway is a 2-centred arch and moulded surround; its granite jambs may be medieval.
The window above is 2 lights with decorated tracery, hoodmould and carved foliate
label stops. There are similar windows around the rest of the church. A clock was
installed in the tower in 1879 with its face on the east side and the south side has
the remains of a C17 mural monument. Both porches are gabled with 2-centred arch
doorways on their east sides the north one surmounted by a large carving of the Royal
arms.
Interior is wholly C19. Nave and aisles have open roofs carried on arch-braced
trusses. Chancel roof is a panelled timber vault painted with angels and
Evangelists. Tower arch is a tall 2-centred arch with moulded surround and Norman-
style nook shafts. Chancel arch has a moulded surround springing from moulded
corbels. Each side of the nave are 5-bay arcades with cylindrical granite piers with
moulded capitals. Full height arches to both porches. Segmental arch from chancel
to the 1879 organ chamber. The walls are plastered except in the tower. The tile
floor includes encaustic tiles in the chancel and contains some good C16 and C17
graveslabs and a couple include brasses, one in memory of Mary Rolle (died 1570) and
another in memory of Joanna Risdon (died 1610). The best however is a brass in
memory of Alyanora Pollard (died 1430).
Furniture and fittings: Sanctuary is lined with Beerstone ashlar wainscotting with
geometic-pattern friezes of inlaid marble and a good carved alabaster reredos; blind
Gothic arcade featuring sacred emblems. The east window is flanked by marble
Commandment boards framed with carved alabaster. Brass altar rail. Oak stalls with
some Gothic ornamentation. Low wall serves as the chancel screen. It is Beerstone
with marble coping and incorporates a good marble pulpit complete with brass book
rest and candle holders. Brass lectern. Plain pine benches. Beerstone font in
Perpendicular style. Gothic style oak tower screen. Circa 1987 part of south aisle
screened off as a meeting room.
Memorials: Good C17 monument in north porch in memory of Mary Risdon (date
illegible); oval plaque flanked by pilasters, moulded entablature with swan-neckeed
pediment surmounted by an heraldic cartouche, moulded sill on acanthus consoles and
carved apron. South porch has marble memorials to Henry Ebberly (died 1710) ad Henry
Hale (died 1740). In the south aisle is the recumbent figure of Thomas Chafe (died
1648) with a couple of heraldic cartouches, all that remains from a C17 chest tomb.
It was painted circa 1985. Also the south aisle includes a good inlaid marble and
mosaic memorial to Mark George Kerr Rolle (died 1907).
All the windows contain C19 stained glass, the grissaile glass installed to
commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
Sources: J Clemens Church guide (1983) is good and informative. Devon SMR.

Listing NGR: SS5331818958

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Parish church of St Giles, St Giles in the Wood at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q21008687

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings