St Giles Church, Durham
Encyclopedia
St. Giles Church is a grade I listed parish church
in Gilesgate
, Durham
, England
.
The church was constructed as the hospital chapel of the Hospital of St Giles
and was dedicated in on St Barbara's Day, June 1112 by Bishop Flambard
to "the honour of God and St Giles
". The church became caught up in an 1140 dispute over the bishopric of Durham following the usurpation of the diocese by William Cumin
, Chancellor of King David I of Scotland
. William of St. Barbara
, the rightly elected Bishop, was forced to retreat to, and fortify, the church after his abortive entry into Durham was beaten back by Cumin's men. In response Cumin's men destroyed the hospital, which was later refounded at nearby Kepier
.
Bishop Puiset later extended the church to reflect its role at the centre of a growing parish, and the current font is believed to date from this time. The church was appropriated to Kepier Hospital
which acted as rector
, receiving tithes and with the advowson
(right to appoint a vicar
), appointing a parochial chaplain to minister to the needs of the parish.
John Heath, the Elizabethan owner of the Kepier
estates, Gilesgate
and Old Durham
is buried in the church.
The ecclesiastical parish of St Giles was divided in 1852 with the creation of a new Belmont
parish, served from church of St Mary Magdalene, Belmont and covering Belmont
, Gilesgate Moor and New Durham.
St Giles Church retains some of Flambard's original building (primarily the north wall) and most of Puiset's additions. Minor restoration and three large windows inserted into the south wall in 1828. The church was restored and extended
in 1873-1876 as the parish continued to grow.
The Revd Dr Alan B. Bartlett is the current vicar of St Giles since Summer 2008.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Gilesgate
Gilesgate
Gilesgate is a place in County Durham, England. It is situated east of the centre of Durham.Gilesgate was originally the main street in a settlement associated with the Hospital of St Giles which was sited by the existing St Giles Church...
, Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The church was constructed as the hospital chapel of the Hospital of St Giles
Kepier Hospital
Kepier Hospital was a medieval hospital at Kepier, Durham, England.-Founding at Gilesgate:...
and was dedicated in on St Barbara's Day, June 1112 by Bishop Flambard
Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard was a medieval Norman Bishop of Durham and an influential government minister of King William Rufus of England...
to "the honour of God and St Giles
Saint Giles
Saint Giles was a Greek Christian hermit saint from Athens, whose legend is centered in Provence and Septimania. The tomb in the abbey Giles was said to have founded, in St-Gilles-du-Gard, became a place of pilgrimage and a stop on the road that led from Arles to Santiago de Compostela, the...
". The church became caught up in an 1140 dispute over the bishopric of Durham following the usurpation of the diocese by William Cumin
William Cumin (bishop)
William Cumin was a medieval Bishop of Durham elect.-Life:Cumin probably was related to a clerical family from near Rouen in Normandy. Several of Cumin's were clerks in the chanceries of King Henry I of England and King Henry II of England, as well as in the dioceses of Rouen and Bayeux...
, Chancellor of King David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. William of St. Barbara
William of St. Barbara
William of St. Barbara or William of Ste Barbe was a medieval Bishop of Durham.-Life:From William's name, it is presumed that he was a native of Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge in Calvados in Normandy. He was a canon of York Minster in 1128. He was Dean of York by December of 1138.William was elected to the...
, the rightly elected Bishop, was forced to retreat to, and fortify, the church after his abortive entry into Durham was beaten back by Cumin's men. In response Cumin's men destroyed the hospital, which was later refounded at nearby Kepier
Kepier
Kepier, in the city of Durham, England, is the site of the medieval . It is situated on the River Wear, close to Gilesgate, Durham. It lies in the parish of Belmont.Kepier is notable as the location of the medieval Hospital of St Giles at Kepier....
.
Bishop Puiset later extended the church to reflect its role at the centre of a growing parish, and the current font is believed to date from this time. The church was appropriated to Kepier Hospital
Kepier Hospital
Kepier Hospital was a medieval hospital at Kepier, Durham, England.-Founding at Gilesgate:...
which acted as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
, receiving tithes and with the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
(right to appoint a vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
), appointing a parochial chaplain to minister to the needs of the parish.
John Heath, the Elizabethan owner of the Kepier
Kepier
Kepier, in the city of Durham, England, is the site of the medieval . It is situated on the River Wear, close to Gilesgate, Durham. It lies in the parish of Belmont.Kepier is notable as the location of the medieval Hospital of St Giles at Kepier....
estates, Gilesgate
Gilesgate
Gilesgate is a place in County Durham, England. It is situated east of the centre of Durham.Gilesgate was originally the main street in a settlement associated with the Hospital of St Giles which was sited by the existing St Giles Church...
and Old Durham
Old Durham
Old Durham is a hamlet in County Durham, in England. It is situated approximately 1 mile east of central Durham and south of Gilesgate.The most northerly remains of a Romanised farmstead in the Roman Empire were excavated at Old Durham during the 1940s....
is buried in the church.
The ecclesiastical parish of St Giles was divided in 1852 with the creation of a new Belmont
Belmont (parish)
Belmont is a civil parish in County Durham, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 8,939.The parish covers a number of settlements:* Belmont* Carrville* Gilesgate Moor* Moor End* Dragonville* New Durham...
parish, served from church of St Mary Magdalene, Belmont and covering Belmont
Belmont, County Durham
Belmont is a formerly separate village in County Durham, England that is now incorporated into, and a suburb of, Durham City. It was initially a coal mining village and is situated to the north-east of the city centre, just east of the A1 motorway...
, Gilesgate Moor and New Durham.
St Giles Church retains some of Flambard's original building (primarily the north wall) and most of Puiset's additions. Minor restoration and three large windows inserted into the south wall in 1828. The church was restored and extended
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1873-1876 as the parish continued to grow.
The Revd Dr Alan B. Bartlett is the current vicar of St Giles since Summer 2008.