Tealby is a picturesque village in the western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, 3 miles E of Market Rasen and 15 miles NE of Lincoln. The church is built mainly of ironstone rubble and stands at the E end of the village centre. It consists of a 12thc W tower with a 15thc top storey, a 14thc nave with four-bay N and S arcades and and a S porch, and a long chancel. The church was restored by James Fowler in 1871-2, the tower was restored in 1884, and the chancel roof in 1891. The lower part of the W tower has a Romanesque W doorway, a small W window, and a tower arch into nave. In the W wall of the nave, above and to the N of the tower arch, is a plain, round-headed opening, presumably a doorway. This is completely plain and is not recorded here although it appears in a photograph.

Losoard held half a carucate of land from Odo, Bishop of Bayeux in 1086 that was held by Rolf before the Conquest. Also Ivo Taillebois held 1 bovate in Osgodby and Tealby as sokeland of his manor of Claxby and Normanby le Wold.as sokeland.

A holding of 1½ carucates was held by Swein and Boerhmoth in 1066 and by Roger from Roger de Poitou in 1086. A further carucate was held by Eadric in 1066 and by Godard from Joscelin Fitzlambert in 1086. Ralph Paynel held 14 bovates (1¾ carucates) in 1086 that was held by Maerle Sveinn in 1066. Finally Rainer de Brimeux held 4 acres of land and a mill.

By 1235 the Gilbertine Priory of St Mary at Sixhills held the rectory of Tealby and in 1252 the prior and convent gained the right of free warren in their demesne manor their, so the manor of Tealby had presumably come into their possession before that date.

The width of the W doorway is rather small compared with other Romanesque doorways and suggests an early date. The human face of the label, so small in size and with such refined features, is very suspicious. It appears to be carved on a circular stone insertion; is this part of the 1884 tower restoration?

The raised shields of the tower arch capitals recall those on the E respond capital of the S arcade at St. Michael, Bassingham.The pointed arch and the single dogtooth on the tower arch into the nave raises the question of date. The dogtooth could be explained as a later re-carving of a nailhead and pointed arch was in use in the Romanesque (Durham nave, c. 1130s). The massive volume of the arch goes with the jambs and imposts. Is this an early use of the pointed arch in Romanesque parochial architecture?