St Giles's Church, Tattenhoe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Giles's, Tattenhoe |
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The church from the south
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| 51°59′52″N 0°47′38″W / 51.9978°N 0.7938°W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglican/Ecumenical |
| Website | www.wvep.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Giles |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 55 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Watling Valley |
| Deanery | Milton Keynes |
| Archdeaconry | Buckingham |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Giles's Church is a small, old church in Tattenhoe, England. It was built in the 1500s and is part of the Church of England. Even though it's small, it's a very important building. It's called a Grade II* listed building, which means it's protected because of its special history.
Discovering St. Giles's Church History
How Old Is St. Giles's Church?
The very first church here was built around the year 1200. The old yew trees in the churchyard are from that time. They are about 800 years old! The church building you see today was built much later, around 1538. It's actually the second church on this spot.
Building with Recycled Stones
The first church eventually fell apart. So, the new church was built using stones from a nearby place called Snelshall Priory. This priory was a religious building that was no longer in use. Some parts of today's St. Giles's still look like they came from an older building. For example, the archway of the main door and the bottom part of the font are very old.
The Mystery of the Lost Village
Beyond the churchyard, in the fields, there used to be a village called Tattenhoe. This village disappeared a long time ago. No one knows exactly why it vanished, as there are no records explaining it.
Who Owned the Land?
After the Norman Conquest in 1066, King William the Conqueror gave land in Tattenhoe to three of his lords. Later, by 1167, a woman named Sybil d’Aungerville owned the land. She gave some of her land to monks to start Snelshall Priory. Over the next 100 years, many more people gave land and gifts to the Priory. This included the fishponds around St. Giles's.
St. Giles's Church in Modern Times
A Church in the Fields
For hundreds of years, until the late 1980s, the area around St. Giles's Church was very quiet. There were only three farmhouses nearby. The church stood alone, surrounded by woods, fields, and farm animals. For 460 years, families from these farms and people from nearby villages kept the church open for worship. They would walk across the fields to attend services, making sure the church stayed in use for future generations. The beautiful stained glass window in the church was added in 1919.
The Journey to Church
For a long time, the only way to reach St. Giles's was by walking on footpaths through the fields. Before the city of Milton Keynes was built, coming to services here was a popular outing. The most popular service each year was the Harvest Festival, which is still celebrated today.
A Road to the Church
There was no proper road to the church until the late 1950s. A local farmer built a narrow track from the main road to his farm. He kindly allowed people to use this private track to get to the church. This was the only way until the late 1990s, when new roads and a car park were built. The old track is now a special path for walking and cycling called a "redway."
New Beginnings for the Church
In 1996, construction started on new houses around the church, creating the modern Tattenhoe area. In late 1999, the church leaders invited a new group, Immanuel, to hold weekly services at St. Giles's. This brought new life to the old church.
Recent Improvements
The church has recently been updated and looks great. The walls have been repainted, and the wooden pews and other woodwork have been restored in a traditional style. In 2007, electricity was finally installed, making the church more comfortable for everyone.
