Brief History and Features of the Church

The Church is a mid-Victorian construction built of Cheshire sandstone. It was built by Mrs Leycester in memory of her husband, the squire of Toft Hall and was consecrated in 1855. Mrs Leycester was French and this gives Toft one of its unique features. For Mrs Leycester brought in the Paris firm of Antoine Lusson to install the East window and the rest of the windows in the Chancel. Thus Toft shares with Ely Cathedral the distinction of having the only examples in England of the very fine work of these renowned Parisian stained-glass window manufacturers.

The parish has continued with its tradition of the installation of interesting stained glass windows. For its millennium project it installed a series of modern stained glass windows all along the North aisle. The final one of the Series “Coming in Glory” is of particular significance since it attempts to marry up not only the glory of Christ but also the Glory of God’s Creation in Nature and closer to home in the rural life of the community associated with Toft. This is depicted with an aerial view looking down on fields and river – God’s creation and our maintenance of it.