Water Stratford - St Giles

The earliest record of Water Stratford is from the time of Edward the Confessor. After the Norman conquest Water Stratford was one of manors in the region that was granted to Robert D'Oyly. The Domesday Book records that by 1086 Water Stratford had a watermill. Water Stratford remained in the D'Oyly family until the 13th century, when it passed from Henry D'Oyly to his nephew Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick. The Earl died heirless, leaving his sister Margaret, by whose marriage Water Stratford then passed to the du Plessis family. Late in the 13th century Hugh du Plessis seems to have granted Water Stratford to Edward I. The manor was then the property of successive Princes of Wales until the English Civil War in the middle of the 17th century.

The parish church of Saint Giles was built in the 12th century. The south doorway is Norman and has a carved tympanum of Christ in Majesty. The chancel arch and one lancet window on either side in the chancel are 13th century. The tower was built in the 14th century and some Perpendicular Gothic windows were added. The tower was reduced in height in the 18th century.