The church was endowed by John Hardy, a majority share holder in the Low Moor Ironworks, and was consecrated on 14 June 1850.

[1] Lucius Smith the first Bishop of Knaresborough was born at the Vicarage at Shelf in 1860 and his father was the Vicar[2] and Kathleen Hale, author of the series of children's books about Orlando the Marmalade Cat also lived at the vicarage with her grandfather from 1903 to 1905, and developed her interest in plants, flowers and drawing there.

[7] The church building was designed by James Mallinson and Thomas Healey.

These include a number of carved heads on the dripstones of the windows and outer archway, carved angels on corbels supporting the roof trusses, and floriated capitals which support the chancel arch.

[8] The font is carved with various angels with inscriptions around the top and base.