St Giles' Church, Wrexham
Encyclopedia
St Giles' Church is the parish church
of Wrexham
, Wales
. Its tower is traditionally one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
, which are commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:
The market and industrial centre of Wrexham, by far the largest town in North Wales, is the home of the steeple in the rhyme. It can be seen for many miles around as the tallest building in the town, but in fact it turns out to be not a steeple at all, but the 16th century tower of the Church of St. Giles.
The richly-decorated tower, 135-feet high, with its four striking hexagonal turrets, was begun in 1506. It is graced by many medieval carvings including those of an arrow and a deer, the attributes of Saint Giles
. The interior of the church also contains many late medieval carvings and monuments. On a window you can find the words of the Evangelical hymn "From Greenland's Icy Mountains." which was written by Reginald Heber
and first performed at the Church in 1819. Just west of the tower is the grave of Elihu Yale
, after whom Yale University
in the USA is named, with its long, fanciful epitaph containing the following lines:
The churchyard is entered through wrought-iron gates, completed in 1719 by the Davies Brothers
of nearby ersham]. They who were also responsible for the gates of Chirk Castle
, perhaps the finest example of wrought-iron work in Britain, and the gates at Sandringham House
, one of the English monarch's residences, and at Leeswood Hall, near Mold
in Flintshire
.
While usually there are regular tours up the tower, these are suspended during 2011 due to planned building works.
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....
of Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Its tower is traditionally one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
Seven Wonders of Wales
The Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales, commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:The seven wonders comprise:...
, which are commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:
- Pistyll RhaeadrPistyll RhaeadrPistyll Rhaeadr is a waterfall, located a few miles from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys, Wales, twelve miles west of Oswestry.- Description :...
and Wrexham steeple, - SnowdonSnowdonSnowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
's mountain without its people, - Overton yew trees, St Winefride wells,
- LlangollenLlangollenLlangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
bridge and GresfordGresfordGresford is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.According to the 2001 Census, the population of the community, which also includes the village of Marford, was 5,334....
bells.
The market and industrial centre of Wrexham, by far the largest town in North Wales, is the home of the steeple in the rhyme. It can be seen for many miles around as the tallest building in the town, but in fact it turns out to be not a steeple at all, but the 16th century tower of the Church of St. Giles.
The richly-decorated tower, 135-feet high, with its four striking hexagonal turrets, was begun in 1506. It is graced by many medieval carvings including those of an arrow and a deer, the attributes of Saint 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 interior of the church also contains many late medieval carvings and monuments. On a window you can find the words of the Evangelical hymn "From Greenland's Icy Mountains." which was written by Reginald Heber
Reginald Heber
Reginald Heber was the Church of England's Bishop of Calcutta who is now remembered chiefly as a hymn-writer.-Life:Heber was born at Malpas in Cheshire...
and first performed at the Church in 1819. Just west of the tower is the grave of Elihu Yale
Elihu Yale
Elihu Yale was a Welsh merchant and philanthropist, governor of the East India Company, and a benefactor of the Collegiate School of Connecticut, which in 1718 was named Yale College in his honour.- Life :...
, after whom Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in the USA is named, with its long, fanciful epitaph containing the following lines:
- Born in America, in Europe bred,
- In Africa travell'd, and in Asia wed,
- Where long he lov'd and thriv'd;
- At London dead.
Davies brothers of Wrexham
The Davies brothers of Wrexham, north Wales, were a family of smiths active in the 18th century. They were particularly known for their high-quality work in wrought iron, of which several examples still survive in country homes and churchyards around the England-Wales border.The family consisted of...
of nearby ersham]. They who were also responsible for the gates of Chirk Castle
Chirk Castle
Chirk Castle is a castle located at Chirk, Wrexham, Wales.The castle was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer de Chirk, uncle of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March as part of King Edward I's chain of fortresses across the north of Wales. It guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley...
, perhaps the finest example of wrought-iron work in Britain, and the gates at Sandringham House
Sandringham House
Sandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current...
, one of the English monarch's residences, and at Leeswood Hall, near Mold
Mold, Flintshire
Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
in Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
.
While usually there are regular tours up the tower, these are suspended during 2011 due to planned building works.