Church House was bought (or built) in the 15th Century for the protection and refreshment by parishioners coming
a long distance to the frequent services (they had previously used the nave, but this was frowned upon).
A poor place no doubt which could bear very little resemblance to Church House today, but in common with
many other parishes, there would be cooking utensils there for providing hot broth and other comforting food;
and for those far-off times, the best that could be done.
Church house has been a private dwelling since the middle of the 19th Century.
Church House stables 1970 | 
Church House with stables and stable yard, seen from across bottom of orchard |
Church House garden with lily pond and greenhouse. Late 1940s | 
The stable yard, Church House c. 1955 with the orchard beyond |
Church Barn April 1967 - demolished probably the same year | 
The lane down to the church |
1926 | 
Before any houses were built in the field opposite Church House (called Town Barn). December 1972
|
St Giles
The Church is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey and, as far as is known, there was no church here in Saxon times.
As far as can be ascertained, it was built no later than 1150.
According to Pevsner, the present building is "a 13th century church, see the chancel with
its red-sandstone lancets, the W tower and two late 13th century Green Men as head corbels
of the arch towards the nave (naturalistic foliage), and the nave with a finely moulded S
doorway and with Y-tracery, but also Decorative features (N doorway). The chancel is Early
English too, but has two Victorian side arches. Perhaps they were originally closed recesses
for side altars with reredoses (cf. Baginton). The S quoins of the nave show that the chancel
arch has been moved a little to the E. - STAINED GLASS. Chancel S and nave S by Kempe, one
dated 1901."
There is a small piece of medieval stained glass in the window of the vestry.
The font is late Norman and was restored to use in 1865. It seems to have disappeared in
early times and the legend runs that it was used as a drinking trough at the mill; but it
is well known that a marble font was in use for many years.
The two prebends of Bobenhull and Ryton were founded in 1248 after the churches had been
granted to Bishop Weseham of Lichfield (1245-56) by the Prior of Coventry. This was
confirmed by the Bishop in 1255. The Prebend's stall in the Cathedral Choir there still
carries an old spelling of the name of the parish, "BOBENHULL". The parish was transferred
under the act of 1840 to the Bishop of Worcester, and in 1866 the prebendal estate of
Bubbenhall came under the same patronage. By an Order in Council of 1863 the benefice
had been made into a Rectory. In 1918 the parish was transferred to the Bishop of Coventry
on the re- formation of that See.
In 1929 the churchyard was extended on the Eastern side to take in the ground given by
Mr. H.Cowley. This is why the churchyard is on two levels here, the lower level having
been taken out of the field known as Town Barn.The extension was consecrated by the Bishop
of Coventry on November 24th and the Deed of Consecration subsequently deposited at the
Diocesan Registry Office, Coventry.
