St. Giles, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire
Description
The church of St. Giles, standing in Stoke Park, is a large and ancient structure in mixed styles, consisting of chancel, with Hastings chapel on the south side. nave of three bays, aisles, a massive wooden south porch with pierced tracery and feathered gable, and an embattled tower, with spire, containing 6 bells: the tower and nave arcades are Early English, but some of the foundation walls are believed to be Saxon: the chancel arch, formerly Norman, has been replaced by another in the Gothic style, and there are some Early English and Decorated windows; the east window and Hastings chapel, erected in 1567, are Perpendicular: in the north wall is an Eastern sepulchre having a fine ogee feathered and crocketed arch over a deep recess: in the chancel is a tomb thought to be an Eastern sepulchre, and brass effigies to Sir William de Molyns, who fell at the siege of Orleans in 11429, and his wife Margaret and his daughter Alianore, 1425; there are also 16th century brasses to Edmund Hampden esq. 1560, and his wife; a brass to James Edward Coleman and his wife, of Hollenden Park, Kent, 1869; and a tablet to members of the Penn family, commencing with Thomas, son of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, who were buried in a vault in the church from 1775 to 1869, the founder himself being buried at the Friends' Meeting house at Jordans, Chalfont St. Giles: on the north wall of the chancel is a tablet, erected by subscription, in memory of the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18: in the Hastings chapel, built by Sir Edward Hastings, Baron Hastings of Loughborough, who died 5 March, 1572, as a place of interment for his family, is a monument to Gregory Hascard D.D. dean of Windsor, d. 1708; on the north-west side is a private entrance, through the cloisters, from the Manor House: this cloister had eight windows, of which only four now remain, containing ancient stained glass of the 16th century collected and placed here by a former owner of Stoke Park: under the tower is a private pew originally the property of the Penn family: the chancel contains a small Norman window as well as two Early English lancet windows and a 15th century doorway and piscina: on the south wall of the sanctuary is an interesting specimen of the base of an altar cross of 15th century date: the cross has long since disappeared: the sanctuary was restored in 1928: there are 450 sittings.
Church Records
The parish register of baptisms and marriages dates from the year 1563; burials, 1564.