A.W.N. Pugin considered St Giles his finest church, and for once he got the money to finish it properly. Built between 1841 and 1846 and paid for by the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury of nearby Alton Towers, it carries a 200ft spire that can be seen for miles across Cheadle. The real astonishment is inside, where every wall, arch and beam is painted, tiled and gilded in dense Gothic Revival colour. Open to visitors. Blythe Bridge is the nearest station, about 6km west.
