Second Church.
The church was, in the early years of the 17th century, in danger of falling, as indeed some of it did, causing a void at the upper end of the chancel “which was stored with Lumber, as the Boards of Coffins and Deadmen’s Bones.” A screen was erected at the expense of Lady Dudley “to hide it from the beholders’ eyes, which could not but be troubled at it.”[[654]] A further collapse caused the parishioners to decide to erect a new church. This was begun in 1623 and finished in 1631. The cost of building amounted to £2,068, all of which, with the exception of £252 borrowed, was obtained from voluntary offerings. The largest contributor was Lady Dudley, who gave £250, and, in addition, paid for the paving of the church and chancel. A small sketch of the church is given by Hollar in his plan of 1658 (Plate 3), and a lithograph (here reproduced) by G. Scharf is in Parton’s Hospital and Parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields.
Hatton[[655]] gives the length as 123 feet and the breadth 57 feet. The church and steeple appear to have been built of rubbed brick[[656]], surmounted with battlements, and coped with stone.[[656]] A western gallery was erected in 1671, and others to the north and south in 1676–7.
The chancel had a large east window, and one on either side. The nave had a window over the chancel arch, and a large one at the west end.
There were north and south aisles, which must have been of considerable height to admit of the galleries which were subsequently added. They appear to have been of three bays,[[657]] with two windows in each. All the windows, except the westernmost one in the north aisle, were glazed with coloured and painted glass. There were three doors to the church, one beneath the west window and others under the third window from the east of the north aisle and the westernmost window of the south aisle.
No window is mentioned by Strype at the west end of the north aisle, so that it is probable that the tower was attached to the church in this situation. This had battlements and was provided with a vane.
The interior was well furnished and provided with numerous ornaments, many of which were the gift of Lady Dudley.[[658]] Chief among the latter must be mentioned an elaborate screen of carved oak placed where one had formerly stood in the old church. This, as stated in a petition to Parliament in 1640,[[659]] was “in the figure of a beautifull gate, in which is carved two large pillars, and three large statues: on the one side is Paul, with his sword; on the other Barnabas, with his book; and over them Peter with his keyes. They are all set above with winged cherubims, and beneath supported by lions.”
The church had a pair of organs with case richly gilded, and the organ loft was painted with a representation of the Twelve Apostles.
Very costly and handsome rails were provided to guard the altar. This balustrade extended the full width of the chancel, and stood 7 or 8 feet east of the screen at the top of three steps.
The altar stood close up to the east wall, with a desk raised upon it in various degrees of advancement.
The upper end of the church was paved with marble, and six bells were provided in the steeple.
In 1640 the reformers were very bitterly incensed against the rector with regard to the fittings in the church, and a petition was presented to Parliament enumerating the various articles which were considered superstitious and idolatrous. The result of this action was that most of the ornaments were sold in 1643, while Lady Dudley was still alive.
After the Restoration the church was repaired and decorated, and a striking clock and dials added to the tower.
In 1716 the church had a very valuable addition made to its plate in the form of an engraved gold communion cup, weighing 45 ozs., which had been purchased pursuant to the will of Thomas Woodville, a parishioner who died at sea. This valuable chalice, together with the rest of the sacramental and other plate, was stolen from the vestry room in 1804.
The church was obviously not well constructed, for by 1715 it was reported to be in a ruinous condition. Under a moderate computation it appeared that it would cost £3,000 to put it in order. The ground outside being above the floor of the church, caused the air to be damp and unwholesome, and proved inconvenient in other ways. In these circumstances it was thought better to recommend a complete reconstruction of the church.
The parishioners accordingly petitioned that the church should be included in the 50 new churches to be built in the cities of London and Westminster and the suburbs, and the necessary authority for this was eventually obtained in 1718.[[660]] Nothing, however, was done until 1729, when an arrangement was come to whereby the Parish of St. Giles agreed to make provision for the stipend of the rector of the new parish of St. George, Bloomsbury, on condition that the Commissioners acting under the Act of Queen Anne should pay a sum not exceeding £8,000 for the rebuilding of St. Giles Church. The arrangement was sanctioned by an Act of Parliament of the same year.[[661]] By 1731, Henry Flitcroft had prepared plans and entered into an agreement to begin pulling down by 31st August of that year, and to have the new church completely finished on or before 25th December, 1733. For this work the architect was to receive £7,030, but in fact the contract was exceeded by over £1,000, Flitcroft’s receipt being for £8,436 19s. 6d.[[662]]