Wimborne St Giles is part of the Knowlton Circle Group of Parishes, which also includes Cranborne, Boveridge, Edmondsham, Woodlands, Gussage All Saints and Gussage St Michael.
The Rector of St Giles, (and Knowlton Benefice), is The Reverend Robert Simpson. You can contact him by telephone: 01725 517232 or email: rector@kcb.org.uk
The St Giles Churchwardens are Caroline Barnes, 01725 551258 and Martyn Cubitt, 01202 828797
Church Services
1st Sunday of the month 11am High Mass – a traditional Prayer Book service with incense
2nd Sunday of the month 11am Elevenses – an informal service with coffee, cake & chat
4th Sunday of the month 9.30am Benefice Communion – a Modern Language service of Holy Communion followed by coffee
Please also visit the Benefice website for more details and for times of services: www.kcb.org.uk
Church Building
St. Giles’ Church, which has Grade 1 Listed status, is situated in the middle of the village of Wimborne St Giles, facing the village green and school and adjoining a row of early 17C Almshouses. The church has a fine organ and a resident organist. It is open every day to visitors.
The present building was constructed in 1732 on the site of the earlier mediaeval church and was designed by the Bastard Brothers, architects of Blandford. Records indicate a church here in 1291. The Bastard Brothers’ Church was in Early Georgian style, well constructed in greensand and flint.
The church was somewhat remodelled by the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury in 1852 and further changed in the fashion of the Gothic Revival by Harriet, wife of the 8th Earl, who in 1887 used GF Bodley as her architect. Between 1908 and 1910, following a catastrophic fire, the building was enlarged and remodelled by the great Gothic Revival Architect Sir John Ninian Comper, who supported the Oxford Movement..
The Church is now regarded as one of Comper’s seminal projects and the test bed for his “Harmony by Inclusion” concept. Given a free hand by the 9th Earl of Shaftesbury Comper attended to every aspect of detail, including the incorporation of the four fine windows in the North wall which were recycled from the hall at Oriel College Oxford.
Bells at St Giles
The tower was endowed with six bells before the fire of 1908. These were cast from the bells in the two demolished mediaeval churches of All Hallows and St Giles. These in turn were lost when the bell frame gave way in the fire. Six new bells were cast as part of the restoration and two more were added in 1926 to give a peal of eight, now in a steel frame. There is an active team between St Giles and Cranborne towers and both are frequently visited by touring teams.
Works and Projects
We run a continuous programme of maintenance and repair to this Grade 1 Listed building and its contents. Recently a new toilet and store have been added adjacent to Church Lodge and a sound system installed in the church including a hearing loop. At the moment significant items in hand are:
Replacing the slates on the South roof and renewing the rainwater gutters and downpipes on the North wall.
Restoration of a number of the fine Shaftesbury memorials in the church.
If you would like to know more about this work (or contribute towards its cost) please contact the Churchwardens or email mcubitt.wsg8@btinternet.com
Safeguarding
TheKnowlton Circle Group of Parishes, of which Wimborne St Giles Church is a part, takes its responsibilities surrounding the safeguarding of children, young people, and adults who may be at risk very seriously, and works in partnership with the Diocese of Salisbury to ensure that we work in accordance with best practice at all times.
Our Parish Safeguarding Policy can be downloaded from the Benefice website at www.dorsetquintet.org.uk.
If you have any Safeguarding questions or concerns you can contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Mrs Ann Cullen, by phone on 01725 552770 or email: safeguarding@dorsetquintet.org.uk
Alternatively you can contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, on 07500 664800 or email: heather.bland@salisbury.anglican.org
Wimborne St. Giles 