Church of St Giles, Stoke Poges

St Giles' Church is an active parish church in the village of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England. A Grade I listed building, it stands in the grounds of Stoke Park, a late-Georgian mansion built by John Penn. It is famous as the apparent inspiration for Thomas Gray's poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard; Gray is buried in the churchyard.

History and architecture
The origins of the church are Anglo-Saxon and Norman. The tower dates from the 13th century. The adjacent Hastings chapel was constructed in 1558 by Edward Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings of Loughborough, owner of the manor of Stoke Poges, who also undertook a substantial enlargement of the neighbouring manor house.

St Giles comprises a "battlemented" tower, a nave, a chancel and the Hastings Chapel. The church is built mainly of flint and chalk stone, with tiled roofs. The exception is the Hastings Chapel which is constructed of red brick. The style of the chapel is later than the Gothic of the church; Simon Jenkins, the writer and former chairman of the National Trust, describes it as "Tudor". The church has extensions to either side, a vestry of the early 20th century, and an entrance and vestibule installed in the Victorian period to provide private access to the church for the owners of the adjacent manor house. Elizabeth Williamson, in the 2003 revised edition, Buckinghamshire, of the Pevsner Buildings of England series, considered the Victorian porch an "excrescence".

During the Victorian era, a restoration was carried out by George Edmund Street. Jenkins, in his volume England's Thousand Best Churches, thought that the exterior was treated more sympathetically than the interior. Of the latter, he describes the removal of the plasterwork in the nave, together with the replacement of the Norman chancel arch and the opening up of the hammerbeam roof, as giving the church the appearance of "a barn".

St Giles remains an active parish church in the Church of England, administered as part of the Diocese of Oxford. The churchyard has been used as a filming location. In the opening sequence of the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only, Bond enters the churchyard through the lychgate to pay his respects at the grave of his wife, Teresa. The churchyard also features in Judy Garland's final film, I Could Go On Singing.

Adjacent to the church are the Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens, founded in 1935 by Sir Noel Mobbs to ensure "the maintenance in perpetuity of the peace, quietness and beauty of the ancient church and churchyard". The gardens were landscaped by Edward White and contain a number of private plots for the interment of ashes, within a larger, Grade I listed park. The ashes of the film director Alexander Korda and the broadcaster Kenneth Horne, among others, are interred in the garden.

St Giles is a Grade I listed building. Gray's tomb is designated Grade II. The Gray Monument (adjacent to St Giles' church and owned by the National Trust) is listed at Grade II*. The lychgate is by John Oldrid Scott and is a Grade II listed structure. The churchyard also contains war graves of six British armed services personnel, four of World War I and two of World War II.

Stained glass
There is a wide variety of stained glass which accounts for virtually every window of the church. There is 17th century glass to modern late 20th century designs. The cloisters used to have glass depicting coats of arms relating to persons known to Sir Edward Coke, a former owner of the adjoining Manor House. That glass, according to tradition, is said to have come across from the Manor House upon its partial demolition in 1790. In 1946 during restoration work, glass displaying the coat of arms were fitted in the Hastings chapel. The arms represent: Roger Manners; John Fortescue; Sir Walter Mildmay and of families of Ducie, Pipe, Sheffield and Pyott. The restoration resulted in a new East central window of the Crucifixion by Martin Travers and Lawrence Lee replacing an image of the founder of the chapel, Lord Hastings of Loughborough. The large west window of the nave is the work of Charles Kemp, in memory of Edward Coleman. The work of Louis Davies is in the north west corner, remembering Rev St John Parry and pupils of Stoke House school in Stoke Poges. The south aisle of the nave have vibrant windows by Mayer & Co. which remembers the death of a small child of the Howard Vyse family. The modern glass created in 1998 by Richard Molyneux and David Wasley is in the tower. It is called, 'The Love of God' but also The Mothers' Union window, remembering Mary Thorpe.

Huge panels of early 16th century glass were fitted in a private vestibule in mid-Victorian times, by Edward Coleman, the owner of Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire. In the 1920s the glass was removed; the church became owner of the vestibule and glass was subsequently sold in 1929. In the 21st century, they form major documents of excellent stained glass of the period at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Memorials and monuments
There are many memorials throughout the church. The major ones are an Easter Sepulchre purportedly to remember the Robber Baron Sir John de Moleyns and for his tomb; in the north aisle the monument to Nathaniel Marchant created by John Flaxman and in the Hastings chapel a mural monument of the early 18th century, without any inscription, yet most probably for Sir Thomas Clarges or his son, Sir Walter; also a stone to Dr Gregory Hascard. A tablet in the South aisle beside the former Thomas Gray pew is for many close descendants of William Penn including son, Thomas Penn and grandsons, John Penn and Granville Penn and Sophia Penn, the wife of Field Marshal Sir William Gomm.

War memorials
There are three large war memorials inside the church. The World War One marble tablet memorial, lists 48 men from Stoke Poges who died. The memorial was executed by Sir Ernest George and Mr Basil Gotto, a sculptor. It is located in the chancel. The World War Two stained glass window memorial lists 8 men from Stoke Poges who died. The memorial was designed by Lawrence Lee and executed by Christopher Wallis. It is at the west end of the nave. Also incorporated in the window are the coat of arms of the Diocese of Oxford and an ancient restored image of a person on a hobby horse blowing through a trumpet, known as the 'bicycle window'. Men who had attended Stoke House School in Stoke Poges and later died in the South Africa war (1901–1903) are remembered by a stained glass window which depicts St Michael and St George. The window was designed by Louis Davis. It is located in the north aisle.

A Norman lancet window in the chancel was restored in 1947 and it remembers the men and women of Britain and Allies who died in World War II. Another lancet window in the chancel, remembers Captain Frederick Henry Allhusen of the 9th Royal Lancers who served in South Africa during 1899.

Memorials to individuals killed in action
There are three memorials to men who were killed in action. Killed in 1882 was Lieutenant Henry Granville Lindsay who was serving in the 60th Rifles, mounted infantry, died in Egypt. He is remembered on a brass plaque along with members of the Howard Vyse family. It is located in the south aisle. Killed in 1914 was Lieutenant Samuel Vernon Einem Hickson who was serving in the Royal North Lancashire Regiment, died in Tanga. He is remembered on a memorial stone in the nave. Killed in 1944 was Pilot Officer John Stuart Deveraux who was serving in Egypt. He is remembered on a stone tablet in the Hastings chapel.

Other military memorials
Inside the Hastings chapel are items remembering the 4th Prince of Wales's (PWO) own Gurkha Rifles which includes an Officers' Book of Remembrance and a battle honours Regimental flag. The Vicar is the Honorary Chaplain to the PWO 4th Gurkha Rifles Officers Association.

One of the Standards of the Royal Horse Guard (The Blues) has been lodged in the nave beside memorials to the Howard Vyse family of Stoke Place due in part because Major General Sir Richard Howard –Vyse of Stoke Place had been the Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues).

Monumental brass
On the north side of the altar is the oldest brass, which is to Sir William de Moleyns who died in 1425 at the Siege of Orléans, and his wife, Margaret. On the south side is part of the brass for their daughter and heiress Alianore, but her effigy has been removed leaving only the inscription and arms. The third brass at the front of the altar was removed in the late 20th century, except for the arms. It was to Edmund Hampdyn and his wife, Isabel.

Funeral hatchments
There are nineteen funeral hatchments hung on the walls of the chancel, Hastings chapel and tower. This is the most funeral hatchments in one building within the county of Buckinghamshire. The funeral hatchments are for the following people, with their motto where shown:

•Thomas Dawson (d.1813), 1st Viscount Cremorne, of County of Monaghan, Ireland and later Stoke Park. Motto: Toujours propice.

• Elizabeth Gayer (buried 1714), probably, daughter of Robert Gayer of Stoke Poges Manor House. Motto: Mors janua vitae.

• George Godolphin Osborne (d.1872). 8th Duke of Leeds, of Baylis House. Motto: Pax in bello

• Sophia Gomm (d.1827), wife of Field Marshal Sir William Gomm. Daughter of Granville Penn.

• Elizabeth Howard (d.1791), the second wife of Field Marshal Sir George Howard of Stoke Place. daughter of Peter Beckford of Jamaica, and widow of Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Effingham. Motto: Virtus mille scuta.

• Frances Howard-Vyse (d.1841), wife of Major General Richard William Howard Howard-Vyse of Stoke Place. The 2nd daughter of Henry Hesketh of Newtown, Cheshire. Motto: Virtus mille scuta.

• George Howard (d.1796), Field Marshal Sir, of Stoke Place. Motto: Virtus mille scuta.

• Lucy Howard (d.1771), the first wife of Field Marshal Sir George Howard of Stoke Place. sister of William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford. Motto: Mors janua vitae.

• Richard Henry Howard-Vyse (d.1872) of Stoke Place. Motto: Virtus mille scuta

• Richard William Howard Howard-Vyse (d.1853). Major General. of Stoke Place. Motto: Virtus mille scuta.

• Granville Penn (d.1834). of Stoke Park. Motto: Dum clavum teneam.

• Isabella Penn (d.1847). wife of Granville Penn of Stoke Park. Eldest daughter of General Gordon Forbes. Motto: In coelo quies.

• John Penn (d.1834). of Stoke Park

• Juliana Penn (d.1801), wife of Thomas Penn of Stoke Poges Manor House. Motto: Resurgam.

• Thomas Penn of Stoke Poges Manor House. Motto: Dum clavum teneam.

• Frances Pigot (d.1811), wife of Admiral Hugh Pigot and daughter of the Very Reverend Sir Richard Wrottesley, 7th Baronet, Dean of Worcester.

• Frances Stapleton (d.1746), 1st married to Sir William Stapleton, 3rd Baronet, and 2nd marriage to Colonel Walter Hamilton, Governor of the Leeward Islands and daughter of Sir James Russell. Motto: Mors janua vita

• John Crichloe Turner (d.1813), Sir, of Castle Carleton, Lincolnshire. Motto: Spero

• Mr Woodhouse. The smallest hatchment and oldest in the church, probably of the late 17th century)

Clergy
Clergy have also worked in the Parish of Stoke Poges at the Lord Hastings Hospital; the Mission Room; the Chapel of Ease:St Wilfred's and St Andrew's Church Centre

Bells
The three oldest bells date from 1728. Restoration work of a total of six bells took place in 1894, carried out by Mears and Stainbank in Whitechapel, London. In 1912 the bells were rehung in a new iron frame. Twelve years later, following the removal of the spire, a new ringing chamber was created above what had been a gallery: directly above the 'Manor House – Penn pews' within the tower. The chamber is accessed from external stairs.

The bells were rehung and augmented in 1938 to give a ring of eight. 20th-century rehang and recast on each occasion has been carried out by the Gillett & Johnston bell foundry. The bells are rung 'full circle'.

Thomas Gray and Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
Thomas Gray was a regular visitor to Stoke Poges, which was home to his mother and an aunt, and the churchyard at St Giles is reputed to have been the inspiration for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, though this is not universally accepted. Some scholars suggest that much, or all, of the poem was written in Cambridge, where Gray lived. Other commentators have identified as alternative possibilities St Mary's, Everdon, Northamptonshire; and St Laurence's Church, Upton-cum-Chalvey, Berkshire. The poem certainly had a long gestation, but it was completed at Stoke Poges in 1750. In June of that year, Gray wrote to his friend and supporter, Horace Walpole; "I have been here at Stoke a few days and having put an end to a thing, whose beginning you have seen long ago, I immediately send it to you." A. L. Lytton Sells writes that there is "no doubt" about the identification of St. Giles as the churchyard of Gray's Elegy, and Robert L. Mack calls it "very close to irrefutable".

In 1771 Gray was buried (in accordance with his instructions) in the churchyard, in the vault erected for his mother and aunt. The tomb above records the names, ages and dates of death of Gray's mother and aunt, and his own tribute to his mother ("the careful tender mother of many children, one of whom alone had the misfortune to survive her") but no reference to Gray himself. Instead, his death and burial are recorded on a plaque set into the adjacent, external wall of the Hastings Chapel.

Gray's Monument, a sarcophagus set on a pedestal inscribed with stanzas from the Elegy, was commissioned by John Penn to a James Wyatt design, as a memorial to Gray himself, as a tribute to the Elegy, and as an eye-catcher for Penn's Stoke Park estate.

Artists have embellished publications of Gray's works with their paintings of the church and Gray's tomb. The following artists have painted scenes: Joseph Barrow; William Barron; William Blake; John Constable;  Hendrik de Cort; Jasper Cropsey,  in addition Humphry Repton, illustrated the Church in his Red Book of Stoke Park.