Listed Building record MDO26567 - St Giles' Church, Chideock

Church, formerly a chapel of Whitchurch Canonicorum. The earliest parts of the building appear to be of 14th and 15th-century date. It underwent a major restoration by Crickmay in 1880, when large parts of the building were rebuilt, notably the chancel. The walls are of rubble with ashlar dressings, and the roof is tiled.

The parish church of Saint Giles, formerly a chapel of Whitchurch Canonicorum, is of local rubble and ashlar. The
earliest part of the existing building is the north transept which was added to the nave, now largely rebuilt, probably in the 14th century.

The west tower was built early in the 15th century and shortly afterwards the south arcade of the nave was built, and the south chapel, south aisle and south porch were added. The church was drastically restored in 1880 when the chancel was rebuilt. <1-2>

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 74 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 93-95 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(1) PARISH CHURCH OF ST. GILES, formerly a chapel of Whitchurch Canonicorum stands in the village. The walls are of local rubble with ashlar and dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered with tiles and lead. The earliest part of the existing building is the North Transept which was added to the nave, now largely rebuilt, probably in the 14th century. The West Tower was built in the 15th century and shortly afterwards the S. arcade of the Nave was built and the South Chapel, South Aisle and South Porch were added. The church was drastically restored in 1880, when the Chancel was rebuilt.

Architectural Description - The Chancel (24¼ ft. by 17 ft.) is modern except for the reconstructed 15th century arch to the S. chapel; it is two-centred and moulded and the moulded jambs have each three attached shafts and moulded capitals and a chamfered plinth.

The South Chapel (11 ft. by 12 ft.) has partly restored 15th century E. and S. windows, both of three cinque-foiled lights in a square head. The arch on the W. side is modern.

The Nave (46½ ft. by 17 ft.) has a modern arch to the N. transept; further W. are three windows; two are modern, but the 15th century middle window is of two trefoiled lights with blind vertical tracery in a square head; the N. wall was largely rebuilt in 1880. The 15th century S. arcade is of four bays; the arches are moulded and two-centred and spring from columns each with four attached shafts with moulded capitals and plain plinths; the responds are in the form of half columns.

The North Transept (13 ft. x 17¾ ft.) has an early 14th-century E. window of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head; further S. is a blocked 15th century doorway to the former rood-loft staircase; it has moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square with cusped spandrels; further S. again are the N. jamb and head of a blocked opening probably of a former squint. In the N. wall is a window with 15th century moulded reveals but otherwise modern. In the W. wall is a square-headed window of uncertain date.

The South Aisle (12 ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, three windows similar to those in the S. chapel, except that the westernmost has ogee heads to the lights; the 15th century S. doorway has jambs and two-centred arch of two chamfered orders. In the W. wall is a window similar to that last described. The aisle, S. chapel and porch have an embattled parapet with gargoyles.

The West Tower (9¾ ft. by 11 ft.) is of early 15th century date and of three stages with an embattled parapet restored in 1851. The tower-arch is two-centred and of one continuous moulded order. Above the tower-arch are the weatherings of an earlier, lower roof of the nave. The W. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch; the W. window is of three cinque-foiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head, with moulded reveals. The second stage has a square-headed window in the W. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two cinque-foiled ogee lights in a square head. At the angles of the string below the parapet are grotesque-headed gargoyles.

The South Porch is of the 15th century and has an embattled parapet. The outer archway has moulded jambs and four-centred head; above it is a small blocked light.

The Roof of the tower has three cambered tie-beams and flat joists, probably mediaeval.

Fittings - Bells: five: 2nd by Thomas Billbie at Cullompton, 1795; 4th by the same founder, 1768; 5th by W. Warre, 1603. Chest: In N. transept - with panelled sides, enriched styles and rails in front, 17th century. Door: In second stage of tower - of battens with strap-hinges, 17th century or earlier. Font: octagonal bowl with quartrefoiled panels and moulded lower edge with paterae, octagonal stem with trefoil-headed panel in each face and moulded base, 15th century. Cover: In second stage of tower, of oak, pyramidal, with moulded ribs and turned terminal, 17th century. Monuments: In S. chapel - against S. wall (1) ascribed to Sir John Arundel, mid 16th century, altar-tomb and effigy, probably of touch, in wall recess with moulded four-centred arch and indent of brass shield; altar-tomb with panelled front and ends, front with balusters at ends and between the bays, indent of brass shields on three front panels, moulded slab formerly with brass inscription-fillet; effigy (Plate 24) in plate-armour of archaic form, head on cushion, feet on dog, helmet with raised visor. In N. transept - on E. wall, (2) to William Fitzherbert, 1761, and Ann (Woodhouse) his wife, 1765, white Marble cartouche and second cartouche above with painted shield-of-arms now illegible; on W. wall, (3) to Simeon Bullen, 1822, and Elizabeth (Fitzherbert) his wife, 1819, sarcophagus-shaped wall-monument of white marble with shield-of-arms (see CHARMOUTH, Church fittings: Monument: 6). In churchyard - (4) to Thomas Daniell, 1670, Margaret his wife, 1689-90 and Angelet, wife of Thomas Daniell jun., 1668, table-tomb with coped top and arched panels and fluted pilasters at sides. Plate: includes a pair of cups of mediaeval design and a paten all of 1848. Miscellanea: Built into N. wall of nave - carved stop of grotesque-headed human figure, mediaeval.'

<2> Department of the Environment, 1950, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Bridport Rural District 1950, 13 (Scheduling record). SDO17327.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 42159287) Ch (NAT)

<4> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 151-2 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<5> 1995, Chideock and its Catholic Past (Monograph). SDO18260.

<6> Skinner, S, Chideock St Giles (Monograph). SDO18259.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450245 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:04PM