It is the church for the Tjølling parish which is part of the Larvik prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

The church was likely built in the early 12th century under orders by King Sigurd Jorsalfare.

After the Black Death in Norway, the conditions of the church went downhill.

Each church parish was a constituency that elected people called "electors" who later met together in each county to elect the representatives for the assembly that was to meet in Eidsvoll later that year.

[5][7] Lightning had struck the old church tower in 1783, 1800, and again in 1833, causing fire damage each time.