This may possibly be the site referred to in the medieval Icelandic Landnámabók in chapter 297.

The floor of the church was excavated in 1969 and found to contain the remains of a pagan cult structure.

Hans Emil Lidén felt this represented the remains of a building, but a critique by Olsen in the same work suggested this may have been a site for pole worship.

A new Christian church was built at Mære on this old pagan worship site.

Some time after that was completed (near the end of the 12th century), work began on a nave and tower.

Dendrochronological dating of the roof structure in the nave show that timber for this was cut in the year 1198 or 1199.

The church is noted for its medieval roof featuring carvings of heads (human, beast, and mythological) projecting from the top of its walls.

Major repair work was undertaken afterwards to remove the rest of the tower as well as raising the floor level and the altar in the choir.

During the 1920s, under the direction of architect Claus Hjelte (1884-1969) minor repair work was undertaken.

[14] In 1956, architect John Egil Tverdahl was given the task of planning a comprehensive restoration of Mære Church.

Work did not start until ten years later because they took the opportunity to conduct extensive archaeological research.