Aston Tirrold is a village and civil parish at the foot of the Berkshire Downs about southeast of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 373. Toponym "Aston" is a common toponym derived from the Old English for "east town". It evolved via Eston and Extona in the 11th century and Eston in the 13th century before becoming Aston before the beginning of the 14th century. "Tirrold" began as Torald, Thorold and Thurroll in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the name was run together as Austenthorold in the 16th century. A Nicholas son of Torold held the manor in 1166. Churches 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. The doorway is clearly not in its original position, as it links the 19th century north aisle with the vestry. The church is a Grade II* listed building. The Norman south doorway is 11th century. 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 of the chancel is also 14th century. Page and Ditchfield thought that the bell tower was from the first half of the 13th century. However, it is Perpendicular Gothic 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. In 1863 the church was restored and the Gothic Revival north aisle was added. 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. The tower has a ring of