St Giles Church , Stoke Poges

St Giles’ is a Grade I listed church of remarkable scale and depth, bearing witness to nearly every century of English church building. Its earliest fabric reaches back to Saxon times, while much of the chancel and the tower date from the Norman period.

Over the centuries, the church has grown and adapted. A Tudor side chapel-the Hastings Chapel-was later brought into the life of the wider church by Victorian alterations, and a vestry was added in 1902. In more recent years, this living tradition has continued with the addition of a new corridor and modern facilities, helping ensure the church remains welcoming and usable today.

Between 2016 and 2017, significant conservation works were completed to the chancel, Hastings Chapel, and tower. Our most recent quinquennial inspection was carried out in 2024.
St Giles’ also holds a special place in England’s literary heritage. The poet Thomas Gray (1716–1771) wrote his famous “Elegy written in a Country Churchyard” while staying nearby, and he now rests in the churchyard.