St Giles' Church, Elkesley

St Giles’ Church stands in the village of Elkesley in the East Midlands. The present building is made of local limestone in the decorated Gothic style. It has a nave, north aisle, chancel and a west tower with battlements and pinnacles. A church has stood here since at least the 11th century, when it was recorded in the Domesday Book. By the 15th and 16th centuries it was called All Saints or All Hallows. The dedication changed to St Giles early in the 19th century. The church contains notable memorials to local people. Catherine Sharpe’s tablet from 1764 is in the south chancel. Edward and John Buckles of Mansfield are remembered in the north chancel. The tower holds three medieval bells, each with a Latin dedication. The heaviest bell, named Mary, weighs about 560 lbs and has a 29-inch diameter. The bells date from the mid-15th century and are among the oldest in Nottinghamshire. Inside, the church retains its 19th-century pews installed in 1845. The wooden bell frame is now too weak to support ringing. The bells’ tuning lies between a modern major and minor scale. Outside, the limestone walls and embattled tower form a quiet landmark in the village. The church’s history can be traced from Domesday to the present through its architecture and memorials.