St Giles Church Shrewsbury

History

General:
Our church was originally part of St. Giles Hospital for Lepers and the Infirm. This was probably in existence by about 1136, and was dissolved in 1546. Leper hospitals were provided well outside most large medieval towns because of the fear of contagion. Inmates were tended by monks from Shrewsbury Abbey. The hospital itself later became almshouses for four inmates. The church was probably originally built to serve the hospital. Part of the Hospital's walls are incorporated in the church.

From the mid 15th century the Church became a parish church with Holy Cross (Shrewsbury Abbey). Prior to 1836, however, services were held only twice yearly.
The church was extensively re-modelled in 1852 -1863 by local architect Samuel Pountney Smith who retained much of the fabric of the medieval chapel within the present building. Vestries and an organ chamber were added in 1895.

In 1857 St Giles and Sutton became a parish in its own right (see A Church Near You) and today works together with the parish of St Eata, Atcham.

From: The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Shropshire: Harmondsworth: 1858-:
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 1 and 2 lights, inserted in restoration. Organ loft and chancel are additions of c1860. 4-light chancel east window in Decorated style. Single-storey polygonal vestry added 1893 by Lloyd Oswell. 2- and 3-light Decorated windows to north aisle, and 4-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 leper hospital chapel c1154-62, and incorporates the remains of this original building.

From Dr Derry Bertenshaw:
THE ORGAN:
The London firm of Gray & Davison built a two-manual organ for St. Giles’ in 1883 and enlarged it to three manuals in 1895. The console, pipework and action are all original Gray & Davison. The organ case was replaced by an oak frontage in 1932. The organ has a Grade II Historic Organ Certificate from the British Institute of Organ Studies and is of national importance.

It is one of only a handful of essentially unaltered Gray & Davison organs which are still housed in the churches for which they were originally built.

The organ has 27 speaking stops including 4 pedal stops. The manuals are tracker action and the pedals tubular pneumatic.

It is getting on for 40 years since the organ was last restored and we are beginning to raise funds for a further restoration.

Thomas Maynard How and Rev William Gorsuch Rowland
The church has memorials to Thomas Maynard How and to Rev William Gorsuch Rowland, both notable contributors to St Giles. Further information is in Documents