St Giles Church, Willenhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Giles' Church, Willenhall |
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| Parish Church of St Giles | |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | Traditional Catholic |
| Website | www.achurchnearyou.com/willenhall-st-giles/ |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | W. D. Griffin |
| Style | English Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Giles Willenhall |
| Deanery | Wulfrun |
| Archdeaconry | Walsall |
| Episcopal area | Wolverhampton |
| Diocese | Lichfield |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Giles is a special church in Willenhall, England. It's called a parish church because it serves the local community. Even though the building you see today was built in 1867, there has been a church in Willenhall for a very long time. Records show a church here as early as 1313! The person in charge of the church right now is Revd Sue Boyce.
Contents
A Look at St Giles' Church History
The First Churches of Willenhall
The very first church building in Willenhall probably lasted until 1748. By then, it was quite old and falling apart. A local historian named Dr. Wilkes said it was not safe for people to gather inside. So, a new church was built in its place in 1750.
The old church tower was kept and made taller in 1788. Six bells, made by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester, were put into this new part of the tower. The church building itself was square and made of red bricks. It had a special area called a chancel on its east side. This church could seat 620 people and had an organ installed in 1837.
Building the Current Church
Around 1850, people decided it was time for another new church. In 1853, an architect from Wolverhampton named W. D. Griffin showed plans to change the old church. But these plans were too expensive. So, Griffin was asked to design a completely new church in the Gothic style.
Building started in 1866 and finished the next year, in 1867. The whole project cost about £6,700. A special ceremony, called a consecration, was held on July 18, 1867, led by Dr. John Lonsdale, who was the Bishop of Lichfield.
Changes Over the Years
In 1898, the church got a new organ. This was to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, which marked 50 years of her being queen. A school building was added in 1900. In 1911, the inside of the church was updated, and new oak choir stalls were put in.
The church was renovated again in 1927. They added a vestry (a room for clergy) and a side chapel. A new main altar and a beautifully carved oak pulpit were also installed. There was once a smaller church, called St Matthias, built in 1907, but it closed in the 1980s.
The area that St Giles' Church serves, called its parish, was created in 1848. Before that, St Giles' was a "chapel of ease" to St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton. This meant it was a smaller church that helped out the main one. The first burials in the churchyard happened in 1727.
The original bells were melted down and made new in 1937. Two more bells were added to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years of his reign.
On July 31, 1986, St Giles' Church was given a special status as a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Church Design and Features
The outside of St Giles' Church is made of red sandstone, and its roof has tiles. The church tower is on the northwest side and stands about 30 meters (100 feet) tall. It has strong supports called buttresses and a decorative top edge called a parapet. The openings for the bells and the main doorway are shaped with special designs.
Inside, the main part of the church, called the nave, has four sections of pointed arches. The columns supporting these arches have detailed leaf-like carvings. The roof of the nave has strong wooden beams and supports. The arch leading to the chancel (the area near the altar) is also beautifully shaped. There's also a three-section archway between the south chapel and the chancel, with round columns and carved tops.
Special Memorials
The large window at the east end of the church was put in by Ralph Dickenson Gough in 1867. A special window was added in 1886 to remember him. In 1895, a choir aisle was added to honor Rev G.H. Fisher, who was the vicar of the church for a very long time, from 1834 to 1894.
Images for kids
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The beautiful exterior of St Giles' Church in Willenhall.
