St Giles, Little Malvern, Worcestershire

I Location

Site Location
Little Malvern
National Grid Reference
SO 770 404
County
traditional: Worcestershire
now: Worcestershire
Diocese
medieval: Worcester
now: Worcester
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Giles
Type of building/monument
Priory, now parish church

II General Description

Church Plan

Church Plan

Exterior, general view, from N

Exterior, general view, from N

Stoup

Stoup

Stoup

Stoup

Little remains of the 12thc. church, which was rebuilt in 1480-82. The present building comprises a medieval chancel and crossing tower, and a modern W porch on the site of the E bays of the nave; the transepts and the two chapels flanking the choir are in ruins. Romanesque sculpture is found on a respond just outside the modern doorway leading into the porch, on its N side, on a fragment set into the N wall inside the church and on a loose capital on a window ledge. There is also a plain double-handled piscina or stoup inside the church, of uncertain date.

III Exterior Features

3. Exterior Decoration

d. Miscellaneous

(i) Respond
Tower arch, respond, capitals

Tower arch, respond, capitals

Tower arch, respond, capitals

Tower arch, respond, capitals

Tower arch, respond, capitals

Tower arch, respond, capitals

Doorway, triple shaft

Doorway, triple shaft

Porch, base

Porch, base

Porch, capital

Porch, capital

Porch, capital

Porch, capital

Porch, capital

Porch, capital

Just outside the porch entrance, at L, is a ?reset coursed respond with triple shafts, the central one keeled (now damaged), on flattened attic bases, damaged at R. The shafts have a plain triple necking, a common multi-scallop capital with tapered wedge mouldings between the cones and indistinct shields, damaged at R, and a plain impost block flush with the shields and with a groove at the base. To the R of the capital, in a second order, is a smaller, trumpet scallop capital with deep shields and eroded necking, the shaft supporting it missing.

IV Interior Features

5. Interior Decoration

c. Miscellaneous

(i) Carved stone
N wall, reset fragment

N wall, reset fragment

Set in the N wall is a rectangular stone with lobed lower edge; two full lobes, each with a triangular chip-carved cavity in the centre, and the beginning of a third at R.

Dimensions
l. 0.23 m
h. 0.12 m

VI Loose Sculpture

(i) Capital

Loose capital

Loose capital

Loose capital

Loose capital

Loose capital

Loose capital

On a window ledge is a trumpet scallop capital with hollow-chamfered impost block. The capital has losses at the angle, and the impost is cut back flush with the shields at L. From a nook shaft.

Dimensions

h. 0.335 m
max. w. 0.295 m

VII History

The Benedictine priory of Little Malvern was founded from Worcester, in 1171 (VCH). It was a small monastery, with only some 10 to 12 monks.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The respond could have come from an aisle doorway, and the fragment set into the N wall from a string course.

IX Bibliography

  • Little Malvern Priory guide.
  • N.Pevsner, The Buildings of England. Worcestershire. Harmondsworth 1968, 214.
  • The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Worcestershire, vol.II. London 1906, 143-47; vol.III, London 1913, 450-53, 451-52.