Edvin Loach Old Church

The ruins of an 11th century and later church built within the earthworks of a Norman motte and bailey castle, with a Victorian church nearby.

The curious name of this place originates in the late 11th century, when the district of Yedeven was divided between the Loges and Ralph families, hence the present names of the parishes of Edvin Loach and Edvin Ralph.

The ruined church, once dedicated to St Giles but later known as St Mary’s, probably dates back to this time.

The church has a simple layout, with a nave and a chancel.

Locally quarried soft sandstone rubble was used to build the walls. The corners, and window and door edges, however, were carved from harder tufa – a type of carboniferous limestone found near calcareous springs. The two types of stone differ in colour and texture.

Interesting features include the herringbone arrangement of the wall masonry, and the doorway with its bulky tufa lintel. This must have been rather a dark building, as it had narrow windows high in the walls – just the lower half of one 11th century window survives by the south door.