Church architecture, literature and early village history give Tunstall a clear cultural and historical focus. Two notable architectural details are a Roman votive stone in the Church of St John the Baptist and a medieval gravestone reused as a lintel in the Old School House. These are complemented by the church’s connection to the Brontë sisters and the village’s early recorded name, “Tunestalle”. If you are looking for a holiday rental, Tunstall can be approached through a specific interest: local and architectural history are at its heart.

Tunstall in the early local landscape

Tunstall was first recorded as “Tunestalle” in the Domesday Book. Two different aspects of the village are also recorded for 1066: Tunstall was the centre of a small parish with a church, and it was one of the four manors attached to Bentham. The first detail concerns its ecclesiastical role, while the second relates to the manor system at the time. Together, they offer a nuanced view of Tunstall’s early history without conflating the two arrangements.

The Roman road also places the village in a wider historical context. Tunstall lies on the road that runs from Lancaster up the Lune Valley to the nearby fort at Burrow. The village is therefore part of a recorded route whose course links Lancaster with the fort at Burrow. This road connection complements the local evidence found in the church and village history, adding a route through the Lune Valley to the picture of Tunstall.

A church with several layers of history

The present-day Church of St John the Baptist dates from around 1415, while retaining some remains from the 13th century. Its building history therefore cannot be reduced to a single date: both the approximate date of the present church and its older surviving parts form part of the story of the building.

Another detail connects the church with an even earlier period. A Roman votive stone has been reused in the inner reveal of a window in the north aisle. A reveal is the side surface inside a window opening; its precise location makes this artefact a specific part of the church building. The stone is therefore not only evidence of Roman history, but also an example of an older object being reused later in a different architectural context.

The church also has a literary connection: the Brontë sisters attended it, and it appears as Brocklebridge Church in Jane Eyre. Architectural and literary history thus meet in a named building. Visitors drawn to Tunstall for its historical connections will find here not only different periods in the building’s history, but also a link to a well-known literary work.

School history at the Old School House

The Old School House was formerly a school and dates from 1753. One of its notable architectural features is a reused medieval gravestone serving as a lintel. A lintel is the horizontal structural element above an opening. A sword and a cross within a circle are carved into the stone.

Several specific aspects can be distinguished here: the building’s former purpose recalls its school history, while the gravestone shows an older object serving a new architectural function. The carved motifs also make the stone identifiable as a distinct detail. Together with the Church of St John the Baptist, the Old School House offers a second way to explore Tunstall’s architectural history—this time through the reuse of a medieval tombstone and an 18th-century building.

Discover more destinations: West Bradford, Claughton-on-Brock, Worsthorne, Bacup, Poulton Le Fylde, Arkholme, Barrowford, Scarisbrick.

For the broader travel overview: Lancashire.