Description

LUCKINGTON ALDERTON
ST 88 SW (east side)

2/189 Church of St Giles

28.10.59

GV II*

Anglican parish church, 1844-5 by James Thomson reusing a few
elements from previous C12 to C15 church. Ashlar with stone slate
roofs and coped gables. Nave, north porch, north east tower and
spire, south aisle and transeptal south east 'chantry'.
Perpendicular style with moulded plinth and diagonal buttresses.
Twin gabled west end with large 4-centred arched windows, 5-light
to nave, 3-light to aisle. Nave north wall has gabled porch,
church north door within has original c1200 chevron arched-head
surround with two columns and scallop capitals, heavily restored.
C19 door. Three-stage tower to left with diagonal buttresses and
east stair projection up to base of bell-stage, which has flat-
headed 2-light windows, battlements and recessed octagonal broach
spire. South aisle has buttressed south wall and one small central
2-light pointed window with octofoil head. Chancel has two north
cusped lancets, 3-light east window. To south, one similar lancet.
Projecting transept with coped south gable, east side gable over 3-
light Perpendicular style window, south end has small spherical
triangle upper light, to gallery, and west side door gives access
to gallery stairs.
Interior: nave has original C15 arch-braced collar rafter roof,
rest of church has similar C19 roofs, the intersections of transept
and aisle and transept and chancel roofs more elaborate. Nave has
much restored c1200 three-bay arcade of circular piers and two-
chamfer pointed arches, with carved head corbels on end piers.
Original also a moulded pointed north side arch to tower.
Octagonal font is apparently original but retooled with added
inscription band and wood cover. Timber C15 screen is also
original, restored, with vine carving in cornice and traceried head
to centre opening. Five-panels each side. Plain Tudor-arched
chancel arch and arches at east end of aisle and north end of
chantry. South aisle roof is on carved corbels. Chantry has
north-facing pews and schoolchildren's gallery at south end.
Chancel has elaborate carved stone east end panelling, partly
framing east window with canopied corner niches and large statues
of St John the Baptist and Saint Mary Magdalene. Fittings and
monuments: Carved stone almsbox (similar to that at Leigh
Delamere q.v.). C19 pews have finely carved bench ends by W.H.
Rogers, chancel has row of stalls. Fine quality stained glass by
T. Wilmshurst, especially the east window, the others generally
with stained glass to heads only. Numerous reset monuments: in
chancel on south wall fine carved and painted kneeling figure in
niche to Charles Gore died 1628, aged 6, but in contemporary adult
costume and under arch to chantry a C15 Perpendicular style altar
tomb to Thomas Gore died 1532. On north wall brass plaque in
carved frame of 1641 to the five children of Charles Gore who died
in infancy and painted stone Baroque pedimented plaque to Thomas
Gore died 1684. On floor numerous slabs to Gore family, one in
white marble to Walter died 1712 and two brass plates to Elizabeth
died 1641 and Lydia died 1654. In transept, wall plaque to Charles
Gore died 1697. In south aisle carved stone frame to brass plaques
to Ann and William James died 1636 and 1637 and late C18 marble
plaque to.W. Hodges, died 1757.
(J. Thomson History of the Church and Village of Alderton (unpubl.)
1845; N. Pevsner, Wiltshire 1975 84-5; J. Badeni Wiltshire
Forefathers 1960 1-7)

Listing NGR: ST8418483054

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534313

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)