 There has been a church in Tollerton since before the Norman conquest but its site is not known. The present church's foundations were laid towards the end of the 12th century. Little is known of the medieval church except that it had a gabled tower.It was customary for the rector to maintain the church and for the villagers - usually the squire - to maintain the nave. Various squires did little or no work and the nave became a ruin. In 1812 Pendock Barry strated a renovation scheme. He rebuilt the nave, constructed the mausoleum and built a brick extension to the west that contained a porch with vestries and a gallery. The gallery was for his family's use. When the rector died in 1816 the new incumbent was persuaded to give the squire a free hand. He pulled down the chancel and rebuilt it. Restoration work also took place in 1909 to make the church look as it does today. Items of Note
There is a medieval font to the left of the west door. It was thrown out in the 1812 restoration and used as a trough for the parish pump. It was not returned to the church until 1918. In the chancel there is a rare medieval piscina on a pedestal. It was used to wash the chalice after communion. The carving shows it to be late 12th century. It was discarded in 1812 and, for a while, used as an ornament in the Hall grounds. It was returned to the church at the turn of the last century. Along the walls are some excellent hatchments. The pipe organ is on the south side of the nave. It was donated in 1909 by WE Burnside, the owner of Tollerton Hall. The console is now in the gallery, which is reached by the spiral staircase in the west wall. The squires pew, with original red hangings, remains as does the fireplace at which the privileged warmed themselves |
