The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.

It is set within a conventional churchyard that is walled and gated on Church Lane (north side).

to have existed on the banks of the River Trent at Attenborough n 964 AD and was overbuilt with the stone chancel of the present day church.

A small amount of the old parish, which was situated South of the River Trent, was at this time transferred to Clifton.

This arrangement continued until once more, due to population growth, it was necessary to divide Attenborough and Toton to form separate parishes.

This development time-line is necessary to understand the complexities of the historical ecclesiastical parish of Attenborough, once known as the 'ABC Empire' (after a former UK cinema chain), otherwise, Attenborough, Bramcote and Chilwell with St Barnabas', Inham Nook, and St Peter's, Toton plus the Chilwell Garrison church on MOD[clarification needed] land.

The most colourful of these is a carved wooden memorial bearing the arms of the Powtrell family, dated 1623 and depicted in red, white and gold on black.

The north wall of the chancel holds a brass plaque commemorating the Foljambe family who were for three centuries connected with the church.

part of the Powtrell family arms) bear the following inscription "To the Glory of God, and in loving memory of Josiah Brown of Attenborough and his wife Elizabeth of Bramcote.

The church stands on the highest level of the churchyard with the land falling away slightly to the south and north.

The churchyard does sometimes flood after a very wet winter with the water rising from the River Trent and gravel pit lakes to the South.