Saturday, 19 July 2025

St Giles Oxford

 

This week The Church Explorer is back in Oxford to visit  more from the book Oxfordshires Best Churches.The first church I visited which I might add is not in the book. St Giles Oxford which sits between the Woodstock road and Banbury road at the end of St Giles wide boulevard. For some more detail on the church read the Wickpeda link on St Giles

The war memorial in St Giles the Woodstock road is to the left and the Banbury road on the right. St Giles church is behind the trees you see in the middle

The main entrance to the churchyard and St Giles looking towards the church

From the Woodstock road side

East end from the Banbury road

Banbury road entrance on the south side

South entrance porch which was locked

Another south side view from the path

North side from near the Woodstock road. I went in the doorway you see open only to find a lecture going on, as there were a lot of people inside I decided to come back later and went around the churchyard

St Giles is one of the few churches in the city that does have a churchyard with headstones

How this one stays up I do not know and it is a wonder no one has laid down down for H&S reasons

There are a few seats scattered around and I saw people on them

Sunken headstones and tomb

Someone wanted to be remember with this monument though I dare say if any relatives are around now have forgotten them 

Looking at the tomb chest here I would say it is around 3-400 years old

It's quite a large churchyard which I suspect from some debris I see behind the headstones has a few rough sleepers in it at night

North of the church a few tombs

Looking north across the south side of the church from the road 

The church was free of people after I visited St Barnabas so I took the opportunity to get some photos. This is inside the south porch which I showed locked in an earlier photo I took it as I was leaving

Above the doorway a memorial

The iron work on the hinges was interesting to look at 

View from the south doorway

Taking in a wider view showing more of the church

The main aisle looking down the nave, the screen was used in the lecture I came in on. I did feel it could have been put away, but then there may have been another lecture later.

North aisle 


The south aisle 

Inside the chancel which is hidden by the screen

The east window which I think was quiet beautiful

There are a lot of memorials to loo at around the church

The statues here on display must have come from either a tomb or a memorial you see on the wall 

Lancet window onto the south chapel 

 
Arch leading to the south aisle 
 

North aisle looking to the chapel 

South aisle chapel 

I assume it is the lady chapel with the icon on the altar 

The stained glass window is nice though
 

The roll of honor for St Giles

The pulpit

Looking down form it to the nave

 The font I fount out is a 13th-century square font with angle colonnetts supported on five pillars I must admit I came away feeling a little disappointed in my visit which I put down to walking around the area and St Giles being the last one on my visit. Saying that if it is open then have a look around

Till Next Time May I wish you all A peaceful weekend 

5 comments:

Bovey Belle said...

That's an unusual design for the font. I felt sorry for Emery Bessant (what an unusual Christian name) - to lose two sons so young.

Fun60 said...

The font is very interesting. It's not often you see a square font. I always enjoy seeing stained glass windows.

Ragged Robin said...

I apologise for the late comment - I am slowly catching up on people's blog posts! I do like the ironwork on the main church door and the font is rather unusual.

Linda said...

Interesting tour. Thanks for sharing it.

EricaSta said...

A wonderful church again. Interesting the view inside.
Thank you for sharing at MosaicMonday