He was the vicar here from 1123 to 1189[4] after his father, Jocelin, gave him both the vacant churches of Sempringham and West Torrington:[6][7] "Gilbert was a lover of truth and justice, chastity and sobriety, and a diligent cultivator of the other virtues: wherefore he was revered and praised by all and obtained their favour and regard.

Even Jocelin now rejoiced in the goodness of his son, he began to cherish him with fatherly affection, and ministered to his needs out of his own riches" He presented him to the vacant churches of Sempringham and West Torrington which he had built on his own demesne 'in the custom of his country".

[9] He was responsible for the restoration of the church, using parts of the earlier medieval church on the same site[4] and was an important and controversial figure in the Oxford Movement, a correspondent of Cardinal Newman, founder of Brotherhood training poor men for the priesthood, noted historian, active Liberal politician and crucial figure in the early Order of Corporate Reunion and Oecumenical movement.

[17] Roger Sharpley, a farmer from Great Carlton near Louth purchased the Torrington part of Ainslie's estate for 56,200l at a sale in Stamford on 18 November 1858.

[18] Roger Sharpley died in 1866 and his son Anthony, who was living in Ivy Cottage in West Torrington at that point, became Lord of the Manor,[19] he is listed as such in the 1876 Post Office Directory.

[20] In 1877 a notice appeared in the Stamford Mercury that the West Torrington manor and lordship would be up for sale as part of the Estate of John Booth Sharpley, who was Anthony's uncle and had died in 1872.

[27] West Torrington was not part of the sale[28] and Turnor continued to appear as lord of the manor in later directories.

[29]  Major Turnor's daughter Rosemary, married to Alastair McCorquodale, inherited her father's estates.