Description

COBERLEY -
SO 91 NE

5/52 Church of St Giles

4.7.60

GV II*

Anglican parish church. C12 origins, rebuilt and enlarged mid C14,
Perpendicular nave and chancel rebuilt in Early English style by
John Middleton 1869-72. Nave south wall: rubble and coursed
squared and dressed limestone, random ashlar towards the top of the
wall suggests partial rebuilding of this wall. Nave north wall and
south chapel refaced in rock-faced limestone C19. Chancel rock-
faced limestone. Tower ashlar. Red tile roof. Nave, chancel;
west tower; south chapel; porch butts west end of the south
chapel. Nave south wall: 2-light window with a hollow-chamfered
mullion, cinquefoil-headed lights and Perpendicular tracery to the
left of the porch which conceals a C19 double door with decorative
hinges with surface decoration within a 4-centred arched surround
with a cusped outer arch and a casement-moulded surround above
waist height; angel corbel probably not in situ above. Nave north
wall: four C19 buttresses with offsets; 3 tall C19 two-light
windows with Perpendicular style tracery and hoods with carved head
stops. C19 chancel: two C19 three-light windows with tracery and
hoods with carved head stops on the north; diagonal buttresses and
3-light C19 window with tracery at the east end. South chapel,
built c1340 by Sir Thomas Berkeley: pointed 2-light east window
with reticulated tracery moulded hood and carved head stops. South
wall, from right to left: window matching that at the east end;
small low-side window comprising a quatrefoil with ball flower
decoration on its chamfered outer margin, a deep moulded hood with
carved head stops; 2-light window with quatrefoil upper left with
moulded hood and carved head stops, one badly eroded; plank door
with decorative hinges within a flat-chamfered 4-centred arched
surround; 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery and hood with
plain stops; short length of dripmould, probably reused with
reused plain corbel below at the west end. Probably contemporary
gabled porch a single diagonal buttress double doorway comprising a
network of fillets imitating Perpendicular style tracery within a
double-chamfered pointed-arched surround; lion's head gargoyle to
the right; 3 large quatrefoils to the left-hand return. Two-stage
Perpendicular tower with diagonal buttresses bearing the Berkeley
arms and moulded plinth; projecting stair turret on the south side
with large incised sundial with a metal gnomon, dated and
initialled 'P.C. 1693' (Paul Castleman) at the top of the stair -
turret; Perpendicular 3-light window with a casement-moulded
surround at the west end. Two-light belfry window with stone
louvres; moulded string between the two stages; battlemented
parapet with moulded string with grotesques at each corner.
Stepped coping to the gable ends. Upright cross finials at the
gable end of the nave and south chapel; stump of similar finial at
the gable end of the chancel.
Plastered interior: facetted roof trusses to the nave; 2 bay
chancel with C19 arch-braced principals rising from angel corbels;
2 quarter bays at either end. South aisle/chantry chapel: C19
wagon roof rising from C19 foliate corbels with a moulded ridge
purlin. Flagged floor to the nave. Small square C19 flags
elsewhere with green glazed encaustic tiles at the edges. C19
Early English style chancel arch with engaged columns with ornate
foliate capitals with a hood with carved head stops and hoods;
matching rere arches to the windows lighting the nave and chancel.
Perpendicular casement-moulded tower arch. The nave is divided
from the south aisle/chantry chapel by two C19 Early English style
arches, there is a single similar archway from the chancel to the
chapel. Ornate C19 stone reredos decorated with blind
Perpendicular style tracery with a vine scroll frieze continued
over the heart burial of Sir Giles Berkeley in the south wall,
comprising a trefoil-headed niche with a gable supported on small
engaged columns within which is a mandorla of a knight partially
blocking a further niche. The frieze is continued over a square
niche in the north wall into the back of which is built a C15
carved stone crucifixion, probably originally in the porch. Early
C18 communion table. Two C19 seats made from reused pews with
linenfold panelling. C19 wooden communion rails with pierced
tracery. Late C18 pulpit with blind arcading and lozenge
decoration in relief; barley twist railing up steps to pulpit.
C19 reading desk with blind tracery. C19 octagonal limestone font
inside the south door. Six wrought iron hanging paraffin lamps to
the nave. South chapel: trefoil-headed piscina in the south wall
towards the west. Cusped tomb recess lower right containing the
recumbent figure of a young man in civilian dress; low side
window, formerly with a hinged door inside which was a bell which
was rung during mass; remains of the casting of a C16 brass now
retaining only one heraldic shield associated with the Brydges
family. Single piece of C12 chevroned stonework reused on the
north wall. Three recumbent carved stone figures: the tomb of
Lady Joan Berkeley, wife of Sir Thomas Berkeley, later wife of Sir
Richard Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London; tomb of Sir
Thomas Berkeley, who rebuilt the church, in knight's armour with
legs crossed. Both these tombs lie on a C19 raised limestone
plinth. Recumbent effigy of a small girl, probably a daughter of
the Berkeleys to one side. Monument at the west end of the chapel,
to Mary daughter of Jonathan Burford, by Alice his wife relict of
Paul Castlemain of Coberly, died 1717; Charles Castelmain died
1682 and Jane Castelmain died 1712, with a broken segmental
pediment containing an herald shield; freestanding columns with
Corinthian capitals either side of the inscription panel;
heraldic shield at the base flanked by cherubs' heads. C19 stained
glass in chancel.
(David Verey, The Buildings of England: The Cotswolds; and V.C.H.
Glos, Vol VII, p181)

Listing NGR: SO9656115829

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536386

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.

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