Church of St Giles

St Giles’ Church stands in the centre of Sandiacre, a town in Derbyshire. It is a Grade I listed parish church of the Church of England. The building began in the 11th century and grew over the centuries. The chancel was added around 1342. In the 19th century the church was restored three times, once in 1855, again in 1866, and finally in 1883. The church is worth the journey for its long history and the changes it has seen. The 1883 restoration brought Minton encaustic tiles to the floor and removed the old plaster from the walls. New pews and a new organ were installed then, along with gas chandeliers and bells. The organ itself was rebuilt in 1977 by Nigel Church with advice from David Butterworth. Inside, visitors find the wide nave and the older chancel. The Minton tiles still cover the floor in patterns from the 19th century. The stripped stone walls show the church’s age. The organ stands at the west end, its pipes rising above the pews. The gas chandeliers and the bells remain as reminders of the 1883 work. The church’s Grade I listing recognises its importance among Derbyshire’s listed buildings.