Listed Building record MDO9599 - Church of Saint Giles, Wimborne St Giles

Parish church, some possibly medieval work in the north wall of the tower but the main body of the church was built 1732; when much of the tower was also rebuilt. In 1887 the north and south arcades (designed by G. F. Bodley) were inserted in the nave and a north chapel was added. In 1908 much of the church was destroyed by fire and in 1910 the church was rebuilt. The 18th century work has been stylistically attributed to John and William Bastard, whilst the 20th century work was by Sir Ninian Comper. In style the building is early-Georgian classical eclectically Gothicised in the early 20th century. The church has walls of ashlar, chequered flint and ashlar and banded flint and ashlar with ashlar dressings. The roofs are slate-covered. Structurally undivided nave and chancel; west tower incorporating west porch; north aisle; extremely narrow south aisle; south porch.

The Parish Church of St. Giles, near the centre of the village, has walls of Greensand ashlar chequered with panels of squared and knapped flint, and slate-covered roofs. The N. wall of the West Tower is probably earlier than other parts of the church, accounting for the asymmetry of the tower in relation to the nave, and it may be medieval in origin; some rough ashlar is exposed in the S. wall of the vestry. In 1732 the Nave and tower were almost entirely rebuilt. Close affinities with the church at Blandford Forum suggest John and William Bastard as the architects, but documentary evidence is lacking. In 1887, N. and S. arcades designed by G. F. Bodley were inserted in the nave, previously undivided, and a north chapel was added. In 1908 fire destroyed everything except the tower, the S. and E. walls of the 18th-century nave, and a few fittings. In 1910 the nave colonnades were rebuilt, the North Aisle was added and the interior was sumptuously refitted to designs by Sir Ninian Comper. <1, 4>

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1986, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1985, 172 (Serial). SDO85.

<1> DOE (HHR), 1951, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Wimborne and Cranborne RD, 22-3 (Scheduling record). SDO17339.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SU 03191196) St. Giles's Church (NAT)

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 469-70 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 92-3 (Monograph). SDO129.

<5> DOE (HHR), 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Wimborne District, 49 (Scheduling record). SDO18076.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213839 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2025 1:29PM