St Giles, Durham
St Giles, Durham
St Giles is a Grade I parish church on Gilesgate, Durham, in the Diocese of Durham. It began as the chapel of the hospital of St Giles founded by Bishop Ranulf Flambard in 1112.
- Location
- Durham, County Durham
- Country
- England
- County
- County Durham
- City / town
- Durham
- Address
- Gilesgate, Durham, County Durham, DH1 1QQ
- Postcode
- DH1 1QQ
- Built
- Hospital chapel founded 1112; north nave wall c.1114; chancel late 12th century; tower 13th and 15th centuries; south aisle c.1873
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Giles
- Diocese
- Durham
- Parish
- Durham St Giles
- Grade
- I
- Style
- Norman and later medieval; Victorian aisle
- Materials
- Sandstone, mostly coursed and squared, with ashlar dressings; porch of snecked sandstone
- Grid reference
- NZ 283 426
- Opening hours
- During school term open 9am to 12noon Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday 9.30am to 11am.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas
Overview
Historic England records part of the hospital of St Giles founded in 1112: the north nave wall about 1114, a late-twelfth-century chancel, a tower of the early thirteenth and early fifteenth centuries, and a south aisle, vestry and north porch of about 1873. Fabric is sandstone, mostly coursed and squared, with ashlar dressings. The four-stage west tower has clasping buttresses, a restored Perpendicular west window and pinnacled battlements. The later chancel has shafted round-headed north and south windows with zigzag moulding. The north nave wall retains small round-headed windows; massive buttresses mark the original chancel bay.
The Victoria County History notes that the hospital later moved to Kepier by the Wear; the church remained as the parish church on the ridge east of the cathedral. In 1143 William Cumin fortified the church during the struggle for the bishopric. The building is a landmark above the Wear, its tower visible in views of the city.