1836 view from south

Copyright: William Salt Library

St Giles Church is believed to date from the 13th century and to be built of red sandstone quarried in Hopwas Wood.  Following a fire in 1760, which destroyed most of the church except for parts of the tower, the church was re-built with a short Georgian-style chancel, which can be seen in this picture.

1838 view from north east

Copyright: William Salt Library

The building on the right of the church is believed to be the old vicarage. A "new" vicarage was built in 1886 opposite The Old Hall and this building became the core of St Giles Hospice which opened in 1983.

St Giles Church, early twentieth century

Whittington Court can be seen to the left of the church. It looks like a Victorian vicarage, but never served as such as far as we know.

Interior some time before 1912 and after 1880

The gothic style chancel was added in 1880 and the ex-cathedral pulpit was installed in 1912. Note the screen. Is it fire-damaged?

Interior some time after 1912

There was a major restoration of the church in 1912 which cost £217 15s 9d. Elford lent its pulpit to Whittington, which had been lying in storage after removal from their church in 1848. Mr Frank Foster (later to become landlord of The Dog) fetched it from Elford and installed it in St Giles, but in order to make it fit had to dig a cavity.

Three ancient bells

These had survived the fire of 1761 and were removed from the tower in November 1990, as the wooden frame had rotted such that the bells could no longer be rung. One had to be scrapped, but the old treble is now the Sanctus Bell, cast in 1630 by Thomas Hancox and the old tenor is the Clock Bell, cast in 1618 by Hugh Watts of Leicester.

Whittington Bells

Six "new" bells dating from 1875 were purchased from St James Islington, and, together with the original two old Whittington bells, were hung in an 8 bell frame made locally by John Brosch. The new peal was first rung on 3 October 1991.