St Giles's, Packwood
Tucked away in a quiet corner close to Packwood House, St Giles church is every bit as rewarding., a handsome medieval church with some interesting features and lovely glass.
The outstanding feature of the exterior is the imposing 15th century tower (of a similar design to certain others in the area) which greets the visitor. The rest of the building consists of an aisless medieval nave and chancel with an 18th century north transept in brick, built as a mortuary chapel.
Inside it can take a moment to adjust to the low light level, but the eye is drawn towards the curiously low chancel arch, around which are remains of 15th century painting showing the 'Three Quick & the Dead' (three figures in costly garments encountering three skeletons, now mostly faded, a reminder of Man's mortality then popular in art). The small chancel beyond is a lighter space that still retains a few fragments of ancient glass (though so heavily corroded to be difficult to discern) but it is the stunning east window by Richard Stubington which draws focus here, a dramatic composition of the dead Christ on the Cross with a seated angel below confronting the viewer, a beautiful example of glass of the Arts & Crafts movement (and not the only one in this church either). The north chapel contains another stained glass crucifixion but a much earlier one dating from the 14th century, while the walls here are adorned with some richly ornamented 18th century memorials.
Packwood church is a modest-sized building but one full of interest and happily normally kept open and welcoming to visitors (outside of pandemics of course, but it appears to be open again now).
St Giles's, Packwood
Tucked away in a quiet corner close to Packwood House, St Giles church is every bit as rewarding., a handsome medieval church with some interesting features and lovely glass.
The outstanding feature of the exterior is the imposing 15th century tower (of a similar design to certain others in the area) which greets the visitor. The rest of the building consists of an aisless medieval nave and chancel with an 18th century north transept in brick, built as a mortuary chapel.
Inside it can take a moment to adjust to the low light level, but the eye is drawn towards the curiously low chancel arch, around which are remains of 15th century painting showing the 'Three Quick & the Dead' (three figures in costly garments encountering three skeletons, now mostly faded, a reminder of Man's mortality then popular in art). The small chancel beyond is a lighter space that still retains a few fragments of ancient glass (though so heavily corroded to be difficult to discern) but it is the stunning east window by Richard Stubington which draws focus here, a dramatic composition of the dead Christ on the Cross with a seated angel below confronting the viewer, a beautiful example of glass of the Arts & Crafts movement (and not the only one in this church either). The north chapel contains another stained glass crucifixion but a much earlier one dating from the 14th century, while the walls here are adorned with some richly ornamented 18th century memorials.
Packwood church is a modest-sized building but one full of interest and happily normally kept open and welcoming to visitors (outside of pandemics of course, but it appears to be open again now).