Tingrith Church Alterations and Additions
Most of the structural history of the church can be found in detail in Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Volume number 79 of 2000 Bedfordshire Churches in the Nineteenth Century: Part III: Parishes S to Y put together by former County Archivist Chris Pickford from numerous sources some held by Bedfordshire Archives and some held elsewhere or published.
In 1616-17 the church was reported to be out of repair. Repairs to the church and its furnishings from 1736 are recorded in the churchwardens' accounts. There are frequent references to work on the roof, notably in 1751-2 and between 1797 and 1812 when the parish seems to have undertaken a phased programme of repairs. Archdeacon Bonney ordered various minor repairs in 1823. When Boissier visited in 1827 he found that the church had been "recently repaired and plastered". The accounts also show that repairs were undertaken to the south aisle at the expense of the parish in 1842 and 1844 when part of the roof was renewed.
A much more thorough restoration of the whole church was needed. Between 1845 and 1848 the church was put in good order at a cost of about £5,000 which was bourne by the Misses Trevor and the Rector. The architect has not been identified. Work began with masonry repairs and the renewal of the roofs of the nave and aisles. The carved woodwork from the old roof was incoporated in the new work.
When Mary Ann Brooks of Flitwick visited in May 1845 she found the church being restored, and by the time of W.A.'s visit in 1846 the structural work had been completed but the seating and the pulpit had not been installed. ‘W.A.’ (John Martin, who wrote a series of articles on Bedfordshire churches) wrote an article on the church in the Northampton Mercury of 20th June 1846 and praised the restoration. He felt that when the work was finished the "whole will exhibit an example of taste, liberality and piety, which it is hoped will not be without its followers".
In 1847 the churchyard wall was rebuilt with new cast iron gates at the main entrance. The work was completed in 1848 with the restoration of the chancel and the installation of four new stained glass windows by William Jay Bolton. The Decalogue boards etc also date from 1848.
After the church was restored further stained glass windows were installed as memorials to the Williaume and Tanqueray families. The bells were rehung in 1883. in 1900 various improvements were undertaken under C. E. Mallows who designed a new oak reredos, created a new baptistery in the west end of the south aisle and removed the childrens' gallery from under the tower. More recently, there was a programme of restoration work which was completed in 1997 as the church was in a dangerously dilapidated state.