Church of St Giles, Goodrich

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Coordinates: 51°52′06″N 2°43′01″W / 51.8684°N 2.7169°W / 51.8684; -2.7169
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Church of St Giles
St Giles Church, Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor
Church of St Giles is located in Herefordshire
Church of St Giles
Church of St Giles
Location in Herefordshire
51°52′06″N 2°43′01″W / 51.8684°N 2.7169°W / 51.8684; -2.7169
LocationGoodrich, Herefordshire
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationChurch of England
WebsiteSt Giles Church, Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor
History
StatusParish church
Founded13th century
Associated peopleRevd Ben Bentham
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II* listed
Architect(s)John Pollard Seddon, 19th century restoration
StyleDecorated Gothic
Administration
ProvinceProvince of Canterbury
ArchdioceseDiocese of Hereford

St Giles' Church, Goodrich, Herefordshire, England is an Anglican parish church in the Diocese of Hereford. The church dates from the 13th century, although almost all of the current building is of the 14th century, or from the 19th century restoration. It is an active parish church and a Grade II* listed building.

History[edit]

The church's origins are of the 13th century.[1] The church was developed, along with the village of Goodrich, in parallel with the expansion of Goodrich Castle by Godric of Mappestone and subsequently the powerful de Clare family.[2] The tower dates from the 14th century. During the English Civil War the vicar was Thomas Swift, grandfather of Jonathon Swift, whose strongly Royalist sympathies led the family to relocate to Ireland.[3] The building was heavily restored by John Pollard Seddon from 1870.[2] St Giles remains an active parish church in the benefice of Goodrich and Welsh Bicknor.[4]

Architecture and description[edit]

The church is constructed of red sandstone rubble. The tower dates from the 14th century, and the church has a double-aisle. The interior contains much linenfold panelling, some reputed to come from a nearby country house, Hill Court.[1] Alan Brooks, in his 2012 revised Herefordshire volume of the Pevsner Buildings of England, suggests another source as Goodrich Court, the demolished house of Samuel Rush Meyrick, whose tomb, with that of his son, stands in the churchyard. Much restoration was carried out in the later 19th century by Seddon, a prolific church restorer, often in partnership with John Prichard.[2] The steeple is topped by a weathervane in the form of a cockerel. Designed by a metal worker, John Rudge, of Ross-on-Wye, it dates from the 18th century.[a][6]

Listing designations[edit]

St Giles is a Grade II* listed building.[1] The church and its churchyard contain 27 listed memorials, all at Grade II. Within the church these include: the Eyles Monument,[7] and two chest tombs.[8][9] Those within the churchyard include: the base and shaft of the churchyard cross, now converted to a sundial;[10] three groups of headstones;[11][12][13] the Tovey Monument;[14] the Williams Monument;[15] headstones commemorating Elizabeth Roberts[16] and Anne Weaver;[17] the Fisher Monument;[18] a memorial to Isabella Wolfe;[19] the Meyrick Memorial;[20] three chest tombs;[21][22] the Gritton Monument;[23] a headstone with an undecipherable inscription;[24] the Harper Monument;[25] the Jenings Headstone;[26] the Edwards Monument;[27] a stone bench;[28] two memorials to the Fletcher Family;[29] a monument to William Fisher;[30] the Gwilliam Monument;[31] the Miles Monument;[32] and a pedestal tomb.[33]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Another example of a cockerel weathervane by Rudge crowns the spire of St Mary's Priory Church, just over the Welsh border in Monmouth.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of St Giles (Grade II*) (1157263)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Brooks & Pevsner 2012, pp. 251–252.
  3. ^ "History of the church". www.goodrichchurchherefordshire.org.uk. St Giles Church Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Our Church". www.goodrichchurchherefordshire.org.uk. St Giles Church Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. ^ Were, Chris (27 January 2022). "One man's endeavour to rehome iconic St Mary's cockerel". Monmouthshire Beacon.
  6. ^ "Heritage Trail - The exterior of St Giles' Church" (PDF). www.goodrichchurchherefordshire.org.uk. St Giles Church Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  7. ^ Historic England. "Eyles Monument against north wall of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1348920)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Chest Tomb with tapering sides against north wall of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099461)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  9. ^ Historic England. "Chest Tomb Against South Wall of Nave East of Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1157275)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  10. ^ Historic England. "Base of Churchyard Cross with Shaft 2M south of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1348919)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  11. ^ Historic England. "Group of Six Headstones west of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099467)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  12. ^ Historic England. "Group of Three Headstones 3M south west of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178403)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  13. ^ Historic England. "Group of Four Headstones 10M south west of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099466)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  14. ^ Historic England. "Tovey Monument 0.25M from South Wall of Nave of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178434)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  15. ^ Historic England. "Williams Monument 0.5M east of east end of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1302422)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  16. ^ Historic England. "Elizabeth Roberts Headstone 35M west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099469)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  17. ^ Historic England. "Ann Weaver Headstone 2M south east of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099470)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  18. ^ Historic England. "Fisher Monument 10M north east of east end of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099462)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  19. ^ Historic England. "Isabella Ann Wolfe Memorial 6M north of north wall of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1348922)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  20. ^ Historic England. "Meyrick Memorial Approximately 6 Metres North-West of North Wall of Church of St Giles and Railed Enclosure (Grade II) (1178409)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  21. ^ Historic England. "Chest Tomb with Decorative Cartouche to Inscription Panel 12M south of South Porch of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099460)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  22. ^ Historic England. "Group of Two Chest Tombs with scrolled end consoles 4M south west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178383)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  23. ^ Historic England. "Gritton Monument 30M south west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099464)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  24. ^ Historic England. "Enriched Headstone 20M south east of organ chamber of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178392)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  25. ^ Historic England. "Harper Monument 10M south east of Chancel of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099465)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  26. ^ Historic England. "Jenings Headstone 9M south east of chancel of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1099468)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  27. ^ Historic England. "Edwards Monument 1M south of organ chamber of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1157279)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  28. ^ Historic England. "Stone Bench 18M east of chancel of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1157271)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  29. ^ Historic England. "Group of Two Fletcher Memorials 5M south west of West Tower of Church of St Giless (Grade II) (1099463)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  30. ^ Historic England. "William Fisher Monument 2M west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178377)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  31. ^ Historic England. "Gwilliam Monument 35M west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178387)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  32. ^ Historic England. "Miles Monument Approximately 35 Metres West of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1348921)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  33. ^ Historic England. "Pedestal Tomb with gadrooned corner balusters 35M west of West Tower of Church of St Giles (Grade II) (1178426)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 February 2022.

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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