Church of England

There may have been a church on the site of the Church of England parish church of Saint Michael since the Saxon period, as the north aisle has a square-headed doorway that may date from this period.^[2] The doorway is clearly not in its original position, as it links the 19th century north aisle with the vestry.^[3] The church is a Grade II* listed building.^[4] The Norman south doorway is 11th century.^[3] The nave and chancel were also Norman, built in the 12th century, but the chancel was rebuilt in the Early English Gothic style in the first half of the 13th century. The priest's doorway and lancet windows survive from this time. The south transept is also from the first half of the 13th century but was remodeled in the first half of the 14th century. The Decorated Gothic east window^[3] of the chancel is also 14th century.

Page and Ditchfield thought that the bell tower was from the first half of the 13th century.^[2] However, it is Perpendicular Gothic^[3] which suggests it is no earlier than the middle of the 14th century. St Michael's used to have a rood loft. It was removed, presumably during the English Reformation, and the stairs are now blocked. The upper and lower doorways to the stairs are late Perpendicular Gothic.^[2] In 1863 the church was restored and the Gothic Revival north aisle was added.^[3] The aisle has three bays designed in a 14th-century style. The organ loft was added in 1910 but includes a 15th-century Perpendicular Gothic window that may have come from the north wall of the nave when the north aisle was built.^[2]

The tower has a ring of six bells. The third bell was cast in about 1599, probably at Salisbury in Wiltshire. Joseph Carter of Reading, Berkshire cast the second bell in 1603. Henry I Knight of Reading cast the fourth bell in 1617 and Ellis I Knight cast the fifth bell in 1639. Lester and Pack of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the tenor bell in about 1769. Mears and Stainbank, also of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, cast the treble bell in 1937. There is also a Sanctus bell, cast by an unidentified foundry in about 1499.^[5] St Michael's is now part of the Benefice of the Churn.^[6]

Aston Tirrold United Reformed Church

United Reformed Church

A Presbyterian congregation was established in the area shortly after the Act of Uniformity 1662, from which date two local dissenting clergymen, Thomas Cheesman, formerly vicar of East Garston, and Richard Comyns, formerly vicar of Cholsey, preached to congregations meeting in barns and in the open air.^[7] A Society of Dissenters had been founded at Aston Tirrold by 1670.^[8] Aston Tirrold Presbyterian chapel is a Grade II listed Georgian building of 1728.^[9] It is built of blue and red brick, has two arched windows and a hipped roof.^[9] From 1841 until 1845 its minister was Thomas Keyworth, author of Principia Hebraica.^[2] It is now Aston Tirrold United Reformed Church^[10]