Grade II listed.
The church consists of a west tower, nave with north aisle and porch and a chancel.
It is not clear when the church in Ashby Puerorum was built but written evidence suggests somewhere in the mid 13th century. The church was built before Bishop Oliver Sutton became Bishop of Lincoln (1280-1299) because it is recorded he assigned revenues from the vicarage to the upkeep of Lincoln Cathedral’s choirboys. The church’s farm also provided a scholarship for one of the choirboys at the Cathedral. So much was the association with the cathedral that Bishop Sutton renamed the village Ashby Puerorum, the latter being Latin meaning “of the boys”. One of the bells bears a date of 1150, so it is possible the church was built around this period although the tower is not believed to have been built until 1314.
In or around 1676 the church acquired a silver Caudle Cup. It is one of only two such cups in the county and was used to administer caudle, “warm ale or wine mixed with bread or gruel, eggs, sugar and spices that was given to invalids”. The caudle cup is still used in church services as the Communion Cup. There is a drawing of the church in 1790 in the Banks Collection in which the chancels appear to be longer. The church was restored in 1850 and the chancel was restored in 1878 by Ewan Christian. In 1909 it was reported that “A good deal has been done in the way of beautifying and furnishing the church.”
By the late 1920’s Saint Andrew’s must have been starting to fall into disrepair, especially the tower. A survey revealed that although the tower was basically sound there was extensive damage caused by the weather getting into the stonework and causing cracking, the effects of rusting ironwork and mason or masonry bees. The survey lists the work needed to repair the tower and the estimated cost at £350.
A new organ was given to the church and dedicated on 28th September 1939 in memory of Frederick and Lily Hilda Middleton and presented by their daughter Mrs Phyllis Neal Green.
Saint Andrew’s is constructed with dressed greenstone with ashlar dressings. The tower has a substantial amount of brickwork especially in the buttresses and parapet. The porch, nave and chancel roofs are slate with stone coped gables and the tower roof is of lead.
See other images of St Andrew's church, Ashby Puerorum