Listed Building record MDR5520 - St Giles's Church, Church Lane, Sandiacre

St Giles's Church, Church Lane, Sandiacre, originally an 11th century building. 'Domesday Book records a priest and a church on the manor of Sandiacre. In about 1280 the church was given to a special prebend of Lichfield cathedral, who took his title from this parish as the Prebendary of Sandiacre. The church is dedicated to St Giles, and consists simply of a nave, a large chancel and a tower surmounted by a low spire at the west end. The inner door of the south porch is a fine Norman one. On each side of the nave is a large round-headed Norman window, while the chancel arch is also Norman, of very rich character. The lower part of the masonry of the tower may also be of Norman date, although the tower was largely rebuilt in the 13th century. There is some evidence of the church that was standing when the Domesday Survey was compiled in 1086, for example a window over the chancel arch with 'long and short' work. The chancel is a fine example of Decorated work. Some alterations were made to the church in 1855, including the unfortunately removal of a stone bench that used to run along both sides of the chancel. There was further restoration in 1864.' (1) 'A Norman church with some Decorated and Perpendicular work. Dedicated to St Giles.' (2) 'In normal use.' (3) 'Church of St Giles. Grade I listed building. Parish church. 11th to 15th century. The chancel was erected in c.1342 when the Bishop Norbury of Lichfield held the prebend of Sandiacre. The church was restored in 1855 and again in 1866.' (4) 'The church contains what has been described as 'one of the mot important Romanesque monuments in Derbyshire', of more than local interest. This is a medieval grave slab set in the floor of the chancel. Incised on the slab is a cross with its head composed of a ring of eight round-leaf bracelets around a central straight-armed cross. The cross is flanked by a pair of dragons, from the tails of which acanthus leaves spring; further leaves spring from the top of the cross shaft. This is an unusual and high status monument, probably of late 12th century date.' (6) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 43 NE; 2/105 PARISH OF SANDIACRE, CHURCH DRIVE (East Side) Church of St Giles 10.11.67 I Parish church. C11, C12, C13, chancel erected c1342 when Bishop Norbury of Lichfield held prebend of Sandiacre, and C15. Church restored in 1855 and again in 1866. Coursed rubble with quoins to nave and lower part of tower with coursed squared stone to clerestory, ashlar elsewhere. Steeply pitched slate roofs; with moulded stone coped gables, topped by ridge crosses, to chancel. Chamfered plinth to nave and tower, and deep moulded plinth to chancel. Chancel also has continuous moulded sill bands and hoodmoulds, a deep frieze of blind quatrefoils with band of fleurons below, at eaves level and low parapets with moulded copings. Nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. Tower has a very tall first stage with clasping buttresses to western corners reaching about half way up, and a narrower short second stage above. First stage has central chamfered C13 lancets to each side with short buttresses below. Above there are double lancet, louvred bell openings to each side set in chamfered pointed surrounds. Above again is a C13 broached stone spire with two sets of cusped ogee headed lucarnes to four sides. North nave elevation has a central C12 semicircular headed window, with roll-moulded arch and nook shafts plus outer billet moulding, which has been lengthened considerably at some stage. C15 clerestory above has three irregularly placed 2-light flat headed windows with cusped lobed lights in deeply recessed surrounds. Magnificent chancel to east is almost the size of the nave and has three tall pointed 3-light windows with flowing tracery to north side, each with finely carved head label stops and delicately moulded surrounds. Between the windows and to the east end are stepped gableted buttresses, topped with elaborately crocketed pinnacles, also with cusped blind panelling to the upper parts. Above in the frieze there are two sadly mutilated gargoyles. East end has similar buttresses to either side of a 6-light window with central major mullion, a combination of intersecting and flowing tracery and delicately carved label stops to hoodmould. Above, each corner of the chancel has a crocketed pinnacle similar to those on the buttresses. South elevation of chancel is similar to that to north except window tracery is more stylised and there is a small contemporary pointed doorcase below the western window. This has thin nookshafts with carved capitals and carved heads to hoodmould. South nave elevation has a pointed 4-light C13 intersecting tracery window with elongated quatrefoils to top and carved label stops to hoodmould, to east and a similar C12 window to that on north to centre. Beyond to west is the 1855 neo-Norman porch with semi-circular headed doorcase, of similar design to windows, ie: with inner roll mould, nook shafts and outer billet mould. Sides of the porch have small roll moulded windows and plain corbel table. Above is the C15 clerestory with three similar windows to those on north side. Inner doorcase is late C12 and has a double roll moulded arch with three nook shafts to sides with a mixture of scalloped and volute capitals. INTERIOR has no arcades but a fine late C12 chancel arch with moulded hood, and double roll moulded arch on nook shafts with scalloped and volute capitals, also with elaborately carved impost band. Southern capital has strange figure of a man carved on it with volutes used as his eyes. Above the arch is a single triangular headed opening. West end of nave has a low double chamfered tower arch over which has been erected a c1980 organ gallery. Both C12 nave windows have internal roll moulded arches and nook shafts with scalloped capitals. Chancel windows are moulded internally with continuous sill bands and hoodmoulds with carved head stops. The southern door is also similarly decorated. Roofs are all C19, that to nave very plain but chancel roof is a pointed, timber barrel vault with frieze of pierced quatrefoils to base. The C11 roof corbels still visible in the nave below the clerestory. To south side of chancel is a triple sedilla with attached piscina of similar date to rest of chancel. The three seats and the bowl each have a steeply pitched crocketed gabled over, with crocketed pinnacles between the ogee rib vaults below. The front of each gable has blind tracery, and each is topped by an ornate foliage finial. Choir stalls, pulpit and nave stalls all of oak and early C20. Font is C14 and has moulded octagonal base and waisted stem with octagonal bowl over carved with foliage designs and with crenellations to top. Font cover is C20. To north side of chancel is an alms cupboard with sculptured brass door. Reredos is c1947 of painted oak with carved figures. In the chancel there are also several memorials including one C13 gravestone with a raised cross on and four stone slabs to members of the Charlton family of c1631, 1644, 1687 and 1681, the latter with a brass plaque with incised achievement on. There is also slate war memorial and two slate and white marble wall memorials, one of c1817 to Benjamin Harrington and one of c1853 to the Foxcroft family. Below the chancel arch is an alabaster slab memorial laid by Wilughby Manley to all his children. To north side of pulpit is a small brass plaque in a scroll topped niche, to Joseph Chadbourne who died 1722, and above is another slate and marble early C19 wall memorial. To west end of nave is an enamelled brass plaque commemorating the donation of the bells in 1881. East window of chancel has stained glass of c1885 and west tower window has glass of similar date. Both C12 windows in nave also have stained glass that to south of c1936 and that to north of 1956 by M Farrar Bell. Listing NGR: SK4800437265 This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 October 2017.' (7)