A report from 1595 stated that the church was an annex chapel of the main Hjartdal Church and the priest visited Sauland to hold services every second Sunday (every third Sunday during the winters).

By the 1840s, the church was small and in poor condition, but repair plans were drawn up and ready to renovate the old church, but the plans fell through, and it was finally decided to tear down and replace the old building.

A new wooden church was designed by Christian Heinrich Grosch which was approved by the ministry with some minor changes in 1854.

A builder named Olsen from Kongsberg was commissioned to build the church.

The church has a west tower, and the choir in the east is somewhat narrower with a lower roof line.