18th - 20th C

After the major remodelling in the early 17^th Century there were no more important alterations to the Church till somewhat after the middle of the nineteenth century, about which time the late Right Honourable C. N. Newdegate caused the present ceiling of panelled oak to be put up, also the oak stalls in the chancel and made the chancel ceiling what it now is. The next chief work done was the erection of all the woodwork inside the great arch at the west end of the Church, thus filling up the interior of the tower, which was carried out between 1875 and 1878, by Mr. F. C. Penrose, at that time the consulting architect of St. Paul's Cathedral, on behalf of Charles N. Newdegate.. Again, about 1910, Sir Francis Newdegate had the windows made double thus adding to the warmth of the building without interfering with the light through them to any appreciable extent.

Early in the 19^th century, Robert Evans, a widower, married Christina Pearson in Astley Church.  One of their children, Mary Ann Evans, was to become famous as George Eliot, the novelist. The essay “Mr Gilfil’s Love Story” in her first book “Scenes of Clerical Life” is based on people and places around Astley.