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]]

Third Church.

The interior dimensions of the church are as follows: length from the west wall to the east wall of the chancel, 102 feet; length from the west wall of the nave to the east wall of the nave, 74 feet; depth of the chancel, 8 feet; width of the nave and aisles, 57 feet 6 inches.