[1] Parts of the structure date from the early 12th century, and the church is listed at Grade I, a designation used for buildings "of outstanding architectural or historic interest".

A tower was added at the west end in the 13th century,[2] as was an aisle on the south side (reached by twin archways cut through from the nave).

[1] This aisle no longer exists, and its fate is uncertain; however, ancient scorch marks and discoloured brickwork in the south wall of the nave suggest fire damage by the same French raiders who destroyed neighbouring Rottingdean's St Margaret's in 1377.

Before his death in 1907, he provided seven windows for the church; he also designed a rood screen for the chancel, which was carved in the German village of Oberammergau.

[4] (The village, famous for its woodcarving tradition, also supplied an intricately carved reredos to St Martin's Church in Brighton's Round Hill district.

The Jex-Blake family, who lived in Brighton for a time, have a large, ornate tomb in the churchyard, although their most notable member is not buried there.

[1][3][7] A connection between the two may lie with Norman nobleman William de Warenne, one of England's main landowners in the 11th century, who owned land in both Ovingdean and Grantham.

[11] St Wulfran's Church is built entirely of flint,[4] other than narrow stone quoins at the corners of walls.

[1][2] The two-stage tower is topped with a shallow pyramid-shaped spire of a design known as the "Sussex Cap",[3] and has a circular corbel of similar height in its southeastern corner.