It is known that the church is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and parts of it have been dated to between AD 950 and 1050, in particular the chancel arch and apse.

The current tower, with its broached and shingled spire, was added in 1871 by Anthony Salvin[1] to replace an earlier building which rested on tree trunks.

The bells are still hung in the oak frame dating from the 1844 installation, which sits on the belfry floor 1.5 m (5 ft)above the ringers’ heads but this was strengthened in 1997.

In 1986 workmen were treating roof timbers of the church for protection against vermin when a fire broke out.

The fire brigade quickly put out the blaze, saving the main building, but the roof timbers were severely damaged.

This rendered the building unstable, however, which resulted in much scaffolding being put up, which in turn required pews and flooring to be removed.

It was during the extensive renovation work that archaeologists were able to confirm the dating of the church's original construction.