St Giles’

The Church was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries and the tower was added. The font dates from this time. At the Reformation under Edward VI, the church was stripped of its Roman Catholic ornaments. Samuel Pepys visited the church in 1663 after the Restoration of Charles II but found the sermon boring! Peter Hamelot, a Huguenot from France, was Rector from 1699 to 1742. His tomb lies near the ‘kissing gate’ to the Freeman’s school and was badly damaged in a snowstorm in May 1950. There are several monuments to the Howard family, Lords of the Manor for many years.

The church was still very plain in 1820, dark and damp like a cellar. A new Rector, the Rev. William Legge, and a caring Lord and Lady of the Manor, Col. and Mrs Mary Howard, transformed the church building between 1820-1877. The east window from Liege, the decorated stone reredos behind the altar, the panelled cedar roof of the chancel with the carved angels, the braced beams and roof of the nave, the north transept with its high arch, and the little north aisle with seats facing the pulpit, are all part of the legacy of these Ashtead benefactors.

In 1873 the 6 bells of 1725 (3 in earlier times) were recast as a peal of 8 in honour of Mary Howard. 

In 1891 there was a major restoration. The roof was stripped and renewed, a new organ chamber was built with new arches to the chancel and north aisle, the large choir vestry added in place of a small one, the present oak pews installed and a new pulpit given. 

In 2009, the interior of the church was modified to allow access for all; the organ was restored and the windows and monuments cleaned and repaired.

To support our growing ministry, the old church hall was replaced by the Dell Centre in 2016. The dedicated prayer garden next to the Dell Centre is a place of stillness and prayer.

Outside the front door, is an ancient yew tree - possibly denoting a former Saxon church on the site. The churchyard is open and contains over 4,500 graves. The cedars, many of which were lost in the 1987 and 1990 storms, are over 100 years old. The Lych gate was put up in 1903 in memory of Sir Thomas Lucas, former Lord of the Manor. It was restored in 2008 The drive is an ancient right of way to the medieval manor house which stood near the north east corner of the church until about 1800.