St Giles' Church, Cambridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Giles' Church |
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| The Church of St Giles with St Peter | |
The Church of St Giles, Cambridge
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| Location | Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQ |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1092 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Style | Victorian Gothic |
| Years built | 1875 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ely |
St Giles' Church is a very old and special church in Cambridge, England. It is listed as Grade II*, which means it's a really important historic building. It's a Church of England church, part of the Parish of the Ascension. You can find it where Castle Street and Chesterton Road meet.
The church you see today was finished in 1875. It replaced an even older church that was built way back in 1092! St Giles' Church is now also known as "St Giles with St Peter." This happened when the nearby St Peter's Church was no longer used.
Today, St Giles' Church is home to two different Christian groups: an Anglican group and a Romanian Orthodox group. It's also used for concerts and other fun events. The church is open every day for visitors to explore.
There's a special war memorial in the churchyard. It was designed by Bodley and Hare and put up in 1920. This memorial is also a Grade II-listed building.
Contents
The Church's Long History
How St Giles' Church Began
St Giles' Church started in 1092. A woman named Hugolina de Gernon helped make it happen. She was the wife of Picot of Cambridge, a powerful local leader.
Hugolina had been very sick for a long time. Doctors couldn't help her get better. She prayed to Saint Giles and promised to build a church for him if she recovered. She did get better!
Picot then helped build the church. He talked to important church leaders like Archbishop Anselm. The church was built near Cambridge Castle, where Picot lived.
Some historians think Picot might not have built a brand new church. He might have taken over an older church that was already there. He might have done this for money reasons.
Early Years and Challenges
At first, six Augustinian canons (a type of priest) served the church. They stayed at St Giles' for 20 years. After Picot died, they moved to Chesterton. There, they started a new place called Barnwell Priory.
The small St Giles' Church kept going for hundreds of years. But it didn't grow much. It was in a poor area outside the town walls. This area was also badly hit by the Black Death.
In 1562, during the time of Queen Elizabeth I, the church's control went to the Bishop of Ely. The church started keeping records of baptisms in 1596. Records of marriages and burials began in 1607.
Building a New Church
The original medieval church changed a lot over time. Many parts were covered up or taken down. New sections were added after the Protestant Reformation.
In the early 1800s, the vicar, William Farish, made the church much bigger. It could then hold 600 people instead of just 100.
The old church served a growing community near Cambridge Castle. So, a new building was planned. It would use some parts from the older church. The new Victorian building was designed by T. H. and F. Healey. It was built a little north of the old one.
In the new church, some old pieces were reused. A stone arch from the 1100s was moved. A doorway from the late 1100s was also put in a new spot. The Carr Monument, from the early 1600s, was also moved. It honors Nicholas Carr, a famous professor.
Inside the New Church
The church is built with brick and special stone. It has a roof made of Westmorland slate. Inside, at the High Altar, you can see the original decoration behind the current triptych. A triptych is a picture with three parts. This one shows Jesus appearing to his followers by the Sea of Galilee. The triptych was put in around 1900.
Historic England says St Giles' Church is "outstanding." This is because it has many old parts from the medieval times and the 1700s. It also has beautiful decorations from the 1800s.
The church's inside was decorated in a special style. Famous artists like Sir Charles Kempe and Sir Ninian Comper helped design it. The church has copies of famous artworks. These include works after Michelangelo and a copy of the Adoration of the Magi by Paolo Veronese. Many wood carvings were made by artists from Bavaria in the late 1800s. The altar rails, from the early 1700s, came from a church in Rotterdam.
The church has 18 beautiful stained glass windows. They were made by Robert Turnhill. They tell a story in order. They start with Saint Clement of Rome and end with Samuel Seabury.
St Giles' Today
St Giles' Church is now part of a "team ministry." This means it works with other churches. These include St Peter's, St Luke the Evangelist, and St Augustine's.
See Also
