Church of St Giles, Totternhoe

The Church of St Giles stands in the quiet village of Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, built mainly from Totternhoe Stone with flint flushwork on its east end. The oldest part is the 14th-century chancel, while the nave, aisles and west tower were added between the late 15th and mid-16th centuries. William Ashwell’s bequest paid for the tower around 1550, and the whole building shows layers of medieval craftsmanship. Its architecture is notable for Perpendicular Gothic details such as battlemented walls and four-bay arcades. Inside, carved timber roofs, a restored 15th-century rood screen and a Perpendicular font remain from the late medieval period. The Tree of Life window by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens, installed in 1970–71, brings a modern splash of yellow, blue and red against the stonework. Visitors find an interior rich in medieval carvings and a ring of eight bells in the tower, the oldest dating from 1625. The stained glass tells a story of resurrection through fire, phoenixes and butterflies, while outside the flint patterns catch the eye. The church’s setting in Totternhoe offers a calm place to see centuries of English church building gathered in one place.